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a o\Supreme. Cour Ends AnEra —— The ‘supreme Court Monday handed down two decisions that may be considered the official end of the dark era of mccarthy- ism. The court sharply reminded all branches of the government that Americans cannot be punished for their beliefs or their asso- ciations. It told Congress that its powers of investigation are not unlimited and that it has no power to conduct “ruthless ex- posure of private lives” merely for the sake of exposure. In the first case, the court ruled that the Smith Act, under which many Communists have been convicted for conspiring to ad- vocate the overthrow of the government by force does not forbid such advocacy as an abstract principle. There must be “teaching in the sense of a call for forcible action at some future time.” There can be no con-- viction for “advocacy in the realm of ideas.” In the case at issue, 14 California Com- munist leaders had been convicted in 1954. The trial court did not require that a guilty verdict must be based on action, not ab- straction. The high court therefore ordered that nine of the defendants be tried again because there is a possibility that they, like’ _ others who have been convicted, did advo- cate action. But it ordered five other de- fendants freed on the ground that none had been guilty of more than membership or officeholding in the Communist Party. Thus the court is saying that an Ameri- can can be punished only for doing some- thing subversive and not for his belief in doctrines that may be unpopular or even subversive. In the second case, although the late Sen_ McCarthy was not involved, the high court's finding constituted an indictment of 5x4 11 1957 the methods he used. The court said, “In- vestigations (by Congress) conducted solely for the personal aggrandizement of the in- vestigators or to ‘punish’ those investigated are indefensible.” The court reversed a contempt of Con- gtess sentence placed on John T. Watkins, Rock Island, Hl., labor leader, for refusing to answer certain questions put to him by the House Un-American Activities Com- mittee in 1954. He said he had never been a Communist but had associated with many. He identified some he believed still to be. party members but refused to identify former members he believed had left the party. He thought their identity was none of Con- gress’s business. The high court ruled that Watkins was within his constitutional right to refuse this information since it had not been made clear what useful legislative purpose it would serve. “We simply cannot assume,” the court said, “that every congressional investiga- tion is justified by a public need that over- balances any private rights affected ... {such investigations) can lead to ruthless ° exposure of private lives in order to gather data that is neither desired by the Congress nor useful to it.” This decision should write an end to irresponsible congressional witch hunts that trample on individual rights. The co pointed out that with proper care for suc rights, congressional committees can sti get information they are rightfully entitled t Some persons may criticize the court decisions as a return to “coddling” of Com- mounists. We believe they are a return to basic American principles of respect for individual rights, principles that_werg for- gotten during the McCarthy era. ae Mr, Ros Ms. Tan 2. M. oe wD M:. Nate —_—o Tele. Room -—- Mr. Holloman Miss Gandy..—- ——<—<—<— —_——oeoen Ko Gone Fait oT RECORDED 44 JUL 10 1957