“SAD EPISODE FOR U.S.”

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28927, 22 June 1959, Page 11

“SAD EPISODE FOR U.S.”

Senate Rejection Of Strauss

(N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) WASHINGTON, June 20.

President Eisenhower said yesterday that the Senate’s rejection of Mr Lewis Strauss as Secretary of Commerce was a “sad episode” in which the American people were the losers.

The President took the highlyunusual step of calling reporters into his White House office to read a brief statement. The Senate rejected the nomination, after a bitter debate, by 49 votes to 46. Observers regarded the Senate, action as a blow against President Eisenhower’s personal prestige, and one of the most serious political losses suffered by his Administration, a Reuter correspondent reported. Opponents of Mr Strauss opposed his nomination chiefly because of his alleged reputation for secrecy and his role in persuading President Truman to begin production of the H-bomb. Mr Eisenhower had thrown his full support behind the nomination, which he submitted to the Senate on January 17. In the face of the controversy, he said he would not withdraw it even if Mr Strauss should ask him to do so. Not since 1925, during the Administration of Calvin Coolidge, had the Senate rejected a President’s Cabinet nomination. At that time the Senate rejected Charles B. Warren as AttorneyGeneral in a dispute over an alleged conflict -of interest. Mr Strauss now will have m relinquish the Cabinet post in which he has been serving since last November under an appointment made while Congress was not in session.

Air Record.— A Valiant jet bomber has made a record flight from England to South Africa, covering the 5804 miles from Marham , Norfolk, to Pretoria. South Africa, in llhr 3min. It cut nearly two hours off the previous record time of 13hr Imin established by a Comet airliner in 1957.—London, June 19.