Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-11-16
N-RADIo. Pages G-e-7
Secrecy Holds
In Bar Groups
Judicial List

4e1oV AAA0AA0 V0ASG4 SVC4 W1ACAAAA44A8 l
opposition to continuing Sc
crecy surrounding recommen-
dations Of q bar committee on |
judicial selections.
But. in spite of this opposi-
ton, the committee will con-
tinue to keep secret any rec
concentrations 1t may make to
the Justice Department.
The question came up as the
association met at the May
flower Hotel to consider a by
law amendment proposing a
continuation of the Judicial Sc
lections Committee as a nearly
autonomous group.
Before the question was put
to the membership. the asso-
Citations board of directors had
rejected a suggestion by three
lawyers who had studied the
question that the committee
should at least report its actions
to the board.
Report to President
Under the old bylaws, the
committee reported only to the
association president before the
recommendations were passed
on to the Attorney General.
The bylaw changes brought
up for a vote last night would
merely have enlarged the COM
mittee from seven to nine mem
bers and given the committee
authority, when asked by the
ton, the committee will con-
mend appointment of persons
ito other judicial or public Of
fees in which the association
may be interested"
However, as the matter was
put up for debate. the question
was asked whether or not the
amendment would allow the
general membership to know
whom the committee had rec
commended before such recon-
mendations would be passed on
to the Justice Department.
Amendment Tabled
Tha oneu,or xx,o. ar~0 ~
mediately the motion was made
that the whole amendment
should be tabled, and this mo-
ton was passed by the over
whelming voice vote.
However, no motion was
made to consider at any future
meeting the question of sub |
hitting the committee recon-
mendations to the general
membership.
Thus the association is left
with the same secret procedure
to which the membership OBJ
jected in tabling the proposed
amendment.
In urging continuation of &c.
crecy Of the recommendations, |
the board earlier had stated itS |
agreement that secret proceed.
ureS are repugnant to our So
ciety and openness is the only |
fair and safe way"
However. the board had ar
gued that some persons who are
recommended for o judicial post
prefer not to be known pub
icly because of possible sun
favorable differences" If they
are not actually appointed by
the President.
Cite Nominations
Proponents of the secret rec
concentrations also have argued |
that this procedure has built
up good feeling between the as
ISOLATION and the Justice De.
partment, leading to the ap-
pointment Of 10 members Of
the local bar to judgeships in
the local courts by President
Eisenhower.
Opponents Of the secret rec
concentrations have argued, on
the other hand, that this has
allowed the committee to be-
come a rubber stamp of the
Attorney General. They charge
that all the Attorney General
has to do is to suggest what
candidates for judgeships the
committee should recommend.
thus saving both the commit
tee and the administration In
power any possible embarrass-
ment when an appointment is
actually made by the White
house.
The opponents to the secret
procedure say the actual rec
concentrations made by the
committee are leaked" so that
they become common knowl.
sdge Of the membership any,
way.