Evening star., 1961-02-07
Continued From First Page

welt and later was State Rent
Administrator in New York In
the Hartman administration.
President Kennedy has
named him to the highest po-
sition ever given to o Negro
In an executive agency.
Senator Robertson said he
had notified the White House
several times that he would not
proceed with the hearings until
his letter was answered. Since
no reply had reached him by
10 o'clock this morning, he or
dered the hearing room cleared
so the committee could discuss
its next move.
Reply on the Way
Thirty minutes later. Sena-
tors leaving the room said q
reply to the Robertson letter
was on the way, and the com.
mittee recessed to await the
Presidents reply.
Senator Robertson said the
"derogatory" reports he had
heard about the nominee were
not In themselves serious
enough to hold up the nomina-
ton II Mr.. Weaver answers the
charges.
II will give Mr.. Weaver a
full opportunity to answer" he
added. Mr.. Weaver had no
comment today in advance of
his testimony before the COM
mittee.
Although Senator Robertson
described the nomination as q
Controversial one." indications
are that his appointment will
win the approval Of at least
IL Of the IS Banking Commit
tee members. Confirmation by
the Senate also appears certain.
Nominee Reviews Housing
After receiving the Kennedy
letter the committee decided to
recess until later this after
noon. But. on the insistence of
Senator Clark, Democrat of
Pennsylvania, Mr.. Weaver was
given five minutes to make an
opening statement.
The nominee ignored the al
legations which have been cir
culated about his association
with certain organizations more
than 20 years ago.
Instead, he gave q brief &C.
count Of his view Of the hous-
ing problem.
II consider this appointment
a great privilege" Mr.. Weaver
said. Il come here with q
feeling that for anyone who
has been interested in the
housing problem it is the great.
est opportunity that could be
offered.
MY own conception OF the
task is. first to try to increase
the supply Of housing, so that
this industry can make its
proper contribution to the
economy"
Would Aid Elderly
He said he was particularly
interested in providing better
homes for the elderly, for those
who live in cooperative homes
and in income groups not
being adequately served.
In conclusion, he said that
as an economist he feels sure
that whatever is done must be
done with the maximum CO.
operation Of the private seq
ment Of the housing industry.
He said he also felt that the
housing problem embraces
transportation and urban ia
cilities as well as homes.
In the brief morning ses-
sion, which was delayed until
noon, Senators Heating and
Javits, Republicans Of New
York, warmly Endorsed the ap-
pointment Of Mr.. Weaver. Rep
resentative William Fitz Ryan,
Democrat Of New York, testi-
fled in his behalf.
Senators Heating and JavitS
both certified to Mr.. Weaver's
loyalty and patriotism as well
as his ability to fill the hous-
ing post.
Allegations Denied
The allegations cited by
Senator Robertson already have
received some publicity. Mr..
Weaver has denied them cate
gorically.
Representative Walter, Dem.
ocrat Of Pennsylvania. chair
man Of the House Un-American
Activities Committee, has said
he did not consider any infor-
nation in his groups files about
Mr.. Weaver to indicate any
doubt as to his loyalty.
The files are understood to
show that Mr.. Weaver In 1899,
while an adviser to the Secre-
tary Of Interior, participated in
a panel discussion in Philadel-
phia Of the Second National
Negro Congress. The congress
was cited by the Un-American
Activities Committee in 1879
and by the Justice Department
in 1912 as subversive.
A 1889 article in the Com
munist newspaper, the Daily
| Worker. reported an announce