Evening star., 1961-01-13

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States troops pull out Of Korea
and the rest Of Asia and Europe
as well. John r. Kennedy, then
a Congressman from Massachu-
sets. rehutted his fathers iso-
lationist views with q defense
Of the Korean war and the
Truman foreign policy.
Robert. who scheduled the
separate appearances Of his
father and brother as chair
man Of the Student Legal For
um.' Just enjoyed the fireworks.
Bobby loved controversy" q
law school friend recalls. Con-
troversy, as it turned out, loved
him, too.
It pushed him before the
footlights on the old Mccarthy
Committee, served him through
q briefly celebrated feud with
Roy Cohn, made him, with the
help Of Jimmy Hoffa, q star
Of daytime television and the
Senate rackets inquiry. and
sent him off q seasoned warrior
to do battle with those who
would deny his brother the
presidency.
When 35-year-old Robert
Kennedy takes the oath Of
office on January 20 as the
youngest Attorney General
since Richard Rush (who was
80 when chosen by President
Madison in 1910 he will UNDER
take for the first time a job
in which his success will be
measured more by the contro-
versy he avoids than by those
he generates.
His View Of the Job
"The Attorney General Of the
United States has the power
to do great HARM" comments
Robert Kennedy in an oddly
prescient sentence in THE
Enemy Within" his account of
his experiences as chief coun-
sci of the Mcclellan commit
tee. It was the calculated risk
of President-elect Kennedy in
his controversial appointment
iof his brother as Attorney Cen
eral that he will do no great
harm. either to his party or to
his office. It was his hope, and
by all reports his sincere con-
viction. that he will do good.
The power Of the Attorney
General to do harm or good
comes in part from his role as
chief law enforcement officer
Of the United States. 1t comes
in at least equal part from his
companion role as the chief
protector, apart from the
courts, Of the constitutional.
rights Of Americans.
There have been few doubts
expressed that Robert Kennedy
will be q jealous enforcer Of the
law. Some who observed him
as chief counsel Of two Senate
investigating committees have
serious concern, however, as to
whether his zeal for safeguard
ing civil liberties will be as
great.
The strengths and weak
nesses which Robert Kennedy
will bring to the Attorney Cen
erals office are not easily ap-
praised, nor Is the question Of
his maturity. The boyish ap-
pearance compounded Of un-
dergraduate enthusiasm, an UNI
ruly thatch Of hair, blue but
ton-down shirt and Ivy League
tie make Robert Kennedy seem
a very young 35. But as balky
convention delegates and reluc-
tant Teamster witnesses have
discovered, the impression of
callow youth can be danger
ously deceptive.
Proposes Crime Data Agency
Discussing his plans as At
torney General. he talks con-
fidently, but with a politicians
inborn caution, Of the job to
be done in the politically haz-
ardous fields of civil rights,
racket-busting and antitrust
prosecution.
It is plain that crime and
racket-busting will be his first
love at the Justice Department.
But he may have to temper his
plans for a national assault on
the underworld to avoid a clash
with j. Edgar Hoover.
The President-elect's brother
has proposed a National Crime
Commission to operate as a
Central Intelligence Agency"
of the criminal world. 1t would
pool information on under
world figures and channel 1t
to honest police departments
throughout the country.
There Is q special emphasis
on honest" police departments