Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-15
Strauss Appointment Vote
Is Expected Next Week


~ha Senate Commerce Com
.rtee probably viii vote
favorable report on the nomi-
nation OF Lewis L. Strauss 20
be Secretary Of Commerce
early next week.
The committee ended 10 days
Of turbulent hearings late yes
terday. Senator Anderson.
Democrat OF New Mexico. the
leading opponent. repeated his
charges that Mr.. Strauss "vio-
lated his trust" while chairman
Of the Atomic Energy Com
mission BY failing 70 keep the
Joint House Senate Atomic
Energy Committee fully In
formed Of the commissions
work.
Thurmond 10 Approve
At the close Of the hearings.
senator Thurmond, Of South
Carolina. became the first
Democrat on the committee TO
announce he win vote for Mr..
Strauss. The committee is
made up Of IL Democrats and
six Republicans.
Senator Pastore Of Rhode Is
land today became the second
Democrat on the committee 10
announce for Mr.. Strauss. SEN
ator Pastore said he did not
believe anything new relating
TO Mr.. Strauss career in the
Government service had been
brought out in the hearings.
He said he had always found
Mr.. Strauss to be an honorable
man and saw no reason to
change his mind at this time.
Indications are at least one
other Democrat will support
the nomination. With the six
Republicans voting solid. this
would make the vote 3-S for
confirmation.
Senator Kuchel Of Califor-
mia, acting Republican floor
leader, also predicted today
that Mr.. Strauss will be con-
firmed and that there would
be no break in Republican
ranks over confirmation.
II the floor debate covers all
Of the incidents dealt with in
the hearings, relating mainly
to Mr.. Strauss long service on
the Acc, it could be several
weeks before there is a final
showdown.
Only ! Rejected
Working IN Mr.. Strauss
favor is the fact that the SEN
ate has turned down only seven
cabinet appointments in the
history Of the Government,
presumably on the theory that
a President should be given a
cabinet Of his choice unless
serious charges are made
against the nominee. The last
rejection Of a cabinet nomina-
ton was in the Coolidge adj
ministration "a years ago.
Senator Cotton, Republican
OF New Hampshire, brought out
yesterday that when the Com
merce Committee in 1945 voted
an adverse report on the APP
pointment of Henry Wallace
for Secretary Of Commerce, a
minority of four on that COM
mittee took the position that
there are only two reasonable
grounds for turning down a
cabinet appointee.
The minority listed them as:
/, honesty and integrity: or 2,
competency. (The Senate later
confirmed Mr.. Wallace despite
the adverse report)
Senator Cotton said the
present chairman, Senator
Magnuson, Democrat of Wash
ington, was one of the four
on that minority report. Sem
ator Magnuson has not revealed
how he will vote on Mr..
Strauss.
Cotton QuiZzes Anderson
The New Hampshire Repub-
Iican then asked Senator An
derson if he questions the
honesty and integrity Of Mr..
Strauss.
Senator Anderson replied by
asking his questioner if had
to use more words to explain
what he has already said in
two appearances on the wit
ness stand. In this earlier tes-
timony Senator Anderson had
accused Mr. Strauss of follow
ing a pattern of deception and
evasiveness. He also had ac-
cused MIR. Strauss of "unouali-
fed falsehood" in some of the
nominees testimony.
Senator Cotton next asked
Senator Anderson if he ques-
tons the competency of Mr..
Strauss.
Senator Anderson replied
that if Mr.. Strauss would profit
by his mistakes" and keep Con-
gress informed Of his work in
the Commerce Department. the
nominee has the mental ca
y