GROWING CONCERN

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 February 1947, Page 7

GROWING CONCERN

AMERICAN ATOMIC ENERGY APPOINTMENT REFERENCES TO COMMUNISM (Rec. 12.0 noon). WASHINGTON, February 11. The surprise, appearance of the Secretary of War, Mr. Robert Patterson, before the Point Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy to-day showed the Government’s growing alarm over the long delay in Senate confirmation of Mr. David E. Lilienthal as chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. Mr. the Army had always found Mr. Lilienthal co-opera-tive during his administration of the Tennessee Valley Authority power project. Mr. Patterson scoffed at the suggestion that tile Tennessee Valley Authority had stalled the construction of urgently-needed war-time power facilities and he urged the Senate to confirm Mr. Lilienthal’s appointment immediately. ■ The gathering Republican opposition to Mr. Lilienthal has apparently developed from charges of Communism hurled repeatedly at Mr. Lilienthal by his old-time political foe, Senator Kenneth McKellai' (Democrat, Tennessee). Mr. McKellar alleged that 55 known Communists were employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority during Mr. Lilienthal’s administration. . , Mr. Lilienthal vigorously denied any Communistic attachments and declared himself against Communism. To-day friends of Senator • Taft, chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, disclosed that Mr. Taft had decided to oppose Mr. Lilienthal s confirmation on the grounds that he is a New Dealer; hence the Administration’s move to bring up their big artillery in support of Mr. Truman’s nominee.