Evening star., 1960-05-21
Talk Renewed
By Democrats
OF U-2 Probe

Renewed talk of a congress
sional investigation into the
U-2 plane incident and the
summit collapse has greeted
President Eisenhower on his
return to Washington.
In a letter addressed to the
President, a group of SO House
Democrats asked Mr.. Eisen-
hover yesterday to tell the
whole story Of the spy plane
incident.
The Democrats. saying they
ARE distressed over the COL
lapse Of the summit meeting
and the damage to our prestige
and leadership in the world"
asked eight specific questions.
False Statements" Hit
/ Among other things. they
want to know why the U-2
flight over the Soviet Union
was ordered just prior to the
summit meeting, and also who
was responsible for what they
termed "a series of contradic-
tory and false statements issued
by administration officials"
The letter was drafted by
Representative Kowalski, DEM
ocrat of Connecticut.
In other developments, Sen
ator Jackson, Democrat Of
Washington, said his subcom-
mittee plans to ask administra-
ton officials about the spy
plane incident.
Senator jackson said Secre-
tary Of State Herter and De-
fense Secretary Gates have
been invited to testify behind
closed doors early next month,
the Associated Press reported.
He stated that his subcom-
mite, which has been studying
Government policy making ma
chinery, is not going to investi-
gate as such the U-2 flight.
Overall Study Planned
But Senator Jackson said the
problem posed from a national
policy-making point of view
will certainly enter our study"
Senator Kennedy of Massa-
chusetts, the front runner for
the Democratic presidential
nomination, also jumped into
the discussion. He was quoted
by the Associated Press as say
ing in Lewiston, Idaho, that
the world regards President
Eisenhower with sympathy,
not respect" as a result of the
U-2 incident.
He told a Democratic fund.-
raising dinner that other ma
tions feel sympathy for the
President as a man of good
will, but dismay at the shock
ing lapse of presidential direc-
ton" which allowed the U-2
flights over Russia to continue
as the summit meeting ap-
preached.
THE maintenance of peace
and the security Of Berlin" he
said, should not hang on the
constant possibility of engine
failure"
Representative Holifield,
Democrat of California, a lead
er of the group which sent the
letter to Mr.. Eisenhower, i'm
piled there will be an investi-
cation If the Nation doesn't get
the full story of the spy plane
incident, the Associated Press
reported.
Won't Ignore BIunder
While denying any intention
of shattering national unity,
Mr.. Holifield said: I'VE should
not shut our eyes to the blum
derS that have been made by
the administration"
The Congressman thus was
indirectly indorsing the view
expressed earlier this week by
Adlai E. Stevenson, twice the
Democratic presidential candi-
date.
Mr.. Stevenson had said I'VE
cannot sweep this whole sorry
mess under the rug in the name
of national unity"
The former Illinois Cover
nor's statement was challenged
Immediately by Vice President
Nixon, who was represented as
being shocked" at the criti-
ciSm.
Herbert G. Klein, Mr.. Nixon's
press secretary. said yesterday
that the Vice President is ready
to accept the challenge If the
summit failure becomes a cam
paign issue.
List of Questions
Here are the questions raised
by the House Democrats in
their letter to President Eisen-
hover:
"1. Why was the U-2 flight
over the Soviet Union ordered
just prior to the summit meet
ing?
20. When the U-2 incident
became public, why were a Sc
rieS of contradictory and false
statements issued by admins
tration officials-and who was
responsible?
"3. Why did the administra-
ton order a worldwide mill
tary alert from Paris on the
eve of the summit?
q. Why did the administra-
ton first indicate that as a
matter of national policy 1t
would continue manned flights
over Russia, and then reverse
itself and say that it had or
dered them discontinued?
IS. Was it necessary to COM
promise the announced peace
full role Of the National Aero
nauticS and Space Administra-
tiOn hV IcinU II oS q rovar foy