Evening star., 1961-01-13

UACA, 0OH WhIu LlC! OOII
try 1t again, coi1f1l' Z"
Mr.. Cohn, II not Mr.. Ken
nedy, has forgiven the past and
recently informed the Senate
Judiciary Committee he was
supporting the Kennedy ap.
pointment as Attorney General
II found his work to be OF high
quality and characterized by
energy. intelligence and tena-
ciousness." he says.
Robert Kennedy had told
Senator Mccarthy when he
first left the committee in 1855
that he thought it was headed
for disaster" While the Sena-
tor himself went into eclipse
Mr.. Kennedy's own career on
the committee prospered. He
became its chief counsel when
the Democrats regained con-
troll Of Congress in January
1855. and held this job for the
remaining two years Of the
committees life. When the
successor Mcclellan committee
was created in 1857 to investi-
gate improper activities in
the labor or management field" "
he became its chief counsel.
The new committe soon grew
to be the largest investieative
force ever assembled in Con-
gress, with Q staff of more than
100 persons, including 35
Investigators and IS accoun-
tants. During its three-year
existence 1t heard l,526 wit.
nesses, 343 Of whom took the
Fifth Amendment.
Actions Criticized
Robert Kennedy's role al
head Of the committees invest
igating staff and its chief
interrogation brought public
renown-and the lasting ermity
Of Jimmy Hoffa and other
Teamster officials. But objective
observers generally find little
to praise and considerable to
criticize in his handling Of
the hearings.
HE was awfully rough or
the rights Of witnesses" Is q
typical comment from q rela-
lively neutral lawyer.
Another attorney cites his
questions to witnesses who were
taking the Fifth Amendment
and his introduction Of both
hearsay and wiretap evidence.
The same lawyer thought his
questioning often showed care
less research and inadequate
preparation.
Edward Bennett Williams,
Mr.. Hoffa's attorney. often
made Robert Kennedy's cross
examination look weak to legal
eyes and Mr.. Hoffa himself
gave him a rough time.
In Mr.. Kennedy's defense,
lawyer friends say he used &C
cepted congressional investi-
eating tactics necessary to ex-
pose the national evil Of cor
rupt union leaders in colluSion
with the underworld.
Defends Record
Mr.. Kennedy himself says In
THE Enemy Within:
Looking back over the rec
ord, I do not know of any wit
ness whose reputation was be-
smirched by our COMMITTEES. An
examination Of some IL million
words Of testimony shows no
instance where the regular staff
presented a case that was not
fully and factually established
and documented." c.
The headlined feud between
Robert and Mr.. Hoffa has thus
far ended in little better than
a draw for the Attorney Gen
eral-designate. But one close
friend indicated he has coun-
seled Robert not to carry on. a
vendetta against Mr.. Hoffa
from the Justice Department
and offered his own opinion
that Bobby will not do so.
While on the RacketS Com
mittee Robert raped the Jus
tice Department repeatedly for
failing to follow through with
prosecution Of witnesses he felt
could be convicted Of criminal
charges, however. and few ex-
pect he will back away from
any opportunity to prosecute
Mr.. Hoffa.
Those who feel he has tram
pied on civil liberties find his
selection as Attorney General
and guardian Of the constitu-
laR
tional rights Of his countrymen
something Of a bad joke.
They might, however, find
solace in this thoughtful ap-
praisal by a very high source
who Is both an intimate of Mr..
Kennedy and a man closely
concerned with civil liberties:
Il think Bobby is a very de-
cent fellow. I don't think he's
going to fall into any Of the
traps Mccarthy did-though I
may be dead wrong. 1 think
he has a pretty keen sense of
the Importance Of procedural
safeguards.
Men grow and change with
a Job. II you put a mantle on
the shoulders Of some men.
they 60 to pieces. Others grow