Evening star., 1962-03-14
Senators Clash
Over Tactics
Of Army Quiz
Thurmond Says
Colleagues Try
To StifIe Probe
BY CECIL HOLLAND
Star Staff Writer

AOIl6 -O1111AA1CA 4AlS 04A4NA NAhSSH
among Senate "muzzling" in
vestigators broke into the open
at a public hearing today.
Senator Thurmond, Demo-
crat of South Carolina, charged
that efforts were being made
to "stifle the work" of the
special Senate Armed Service
Subcommittee, and added:
II don't like a lot of things
going on here"
He voiced this opinion after
Senator Saltonstall, Republi-
can of Massachusetts,, OBJ
jected to a long background
statement being given by 1t.
Col. William E. Mayer, Army
psychiatrist who was the wit
ness at the time.
Most sincerely and respect
fully" Senator Saltonstall said
II haven't gotten a thing out
of what you have said thus
far"
ThurmOnd Defends Witness
Senator Thurmond, who in
Spired the Senate inquiry,
quickly interiected with a
spirited defense of the witness.
He said witness after witness
had been permitted to go on
in broad detail. He pointed
out that Col. Mayer was a doc
tor and a psychiatrist who had
detailed information on the
subject Of troop indoctrination.
II do not think the witness
should be inhibited" Senator
Thurmond said, "and I per-
sonally resent inhibiting this
witness when others have been
given full range"
Senator Saltonstall broke in
to say that he did not object
to what Senator Thmmond
was saying and the South
Carolina Senator shot back:
well, you do object"
Chairman StenniS, Demo-
crat of Mississippi, attempted
to smooth the ruffled feelings.
He said he intended to go along
with the witness subject to a
condition he had made earlier
in the days hearing. This was
that when the poll tax bill
should come up on the Senate
floor during the day he thought
he would have to be there for
the duration of the debate.
Then Senator Thurmond
fired back. "I want to say, !
know of efforts which have
been made to stifle the work
of the committee I don't
like a lot of things going on
here"
He said he had sought to
suggest the chief counsel for
the investigation and had been
denied this. He also said that
he had sought permission to
present witnesses in a certain
order and this request had
been refused.
"If we want to get the truth, T"
Senator Thurmond said, "let's
get the truth. If we want to
defend the Defense Depart
ment, that is another thing" !"
Stennis Defines Action
Senator Stennis said the
selection Of the chief counsel
was something long past and
that he had exercised his re-
Sponsibility as chairman of the
subcommittee in naming the
chief counsel. The chief coun-
sci is James Kendall, a Missis-
sippi lawyer, who was sitting
beside Senator Stennis at the
time the exchange took place.
After the morning hearing,
Senator Thurmond told report
ers he felt he should have been
able to suggest the counsel since
he had spearheaded the in
vestigation. He added that he
had no one particular in mind
for the position.
The subcommittee led up to
the exchange with some diff
ferences earlier in the hear
ing over the release of a mem
orandum filed with the investi-
gators by Col. Mayer which
said, in effect, that the troop
indoctrination programs were
a failure or worse.
Copies Of the memorandum
which also detailed the Army
doctors difficulties in getting
his speeches cleared was made
available to reporters yester-
See HEARING, Page A-9