Rankin Cites Shapley for Contempt After Flare-up in committee Session

Harlow Shapley's scheduled appearance before the house Committee on Un-American Activities ended yesterday in a blaze of accusations and counter-accusations as Shapley charged Representative John E. Rankin (D-Miss.), who sat as a one-ma committee to hear him as a witness, of "Gestapo." tactics and Rankin countered by announcing contempt action against the well-known scientist.

Professor Shapley, director of the College Observatory, who had been sub-poenaed by Rankin to appear as a witness before the committee in Washington, accused Rankin of snatching papers from his hand in a "star chamber" session and of generally acting in an "un-American" manner. He also rebuffed an attempt by Rankin to question him about his election activities.

Rankin's Answer

Rankin's answer was that "the witness will be cited for contempt for refusal to answer questions and to produce documents in accordance with a subpoena." He told reporters, "I have never seen a witness treat a committee with more contempt."

The story behind the battle began with attempts by the House group to question Shapley about the activities of the CIO and National citizens Political Action Committees, the independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions, and the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee, particularly in regard to the recent election contest between Joseph Martin and Martha Sharp.

When Shapley refused to submit the records of these organizations because he had no authority to do so and was not even a member of the two PAC groups, he was ordered to appear before the House committee.

Adamson's Advice

Advised by Ernie Adamson, committee counsel, that he might have counsel present, Shapley brought Thomas H. Eliot to the meeting, along with a secretary, Miss Elly Thomas. But when the three of them entered the committee meeting, at which only Rankin, Adamson, and a Congressional reporter were present, Rankin ordered Shapley's assistance to leave.

"I hadn't said a word." Eliot told the CRIMSON last night, "when Rankin cried 'clear the room' and 'call the guard.'"

According to Shapley, he was refused permission more than once to leave the room in order to consult with Eliot. When the scientist started to tear some personal notes from the bottom of a prepared speech, Rankin snatched the paper from his hands. Shapley told reporters that Rankin had "asked questions beyond the authority of the committee and had said that the record of the hearing could and would be edited by the committee.

"I stand on my rights as an American citizens," said Shapley, "and will not submit to the star chamber methods of the gestapo used by Rankin. It is time that this most un-American of all procedures in this country is recognized as the Nazi method and that it be eliminated so that private citizens can be free under our constitution."

Eliot revealed last night that he had suggested to Shapley that he refuse to answer any question without the advice of counsel. When Rankin ejected Eliot from the room, Shapley merely declined to answer Rankin's queries. "Professor Shapley would have had no witnesses," Eliot pointed out, "except those associated with the committee, which had already admitted that it would doctor the records if it desired to."

Cambridge reactions to the incident indicated last night that Shapley would receive at least moral support from home. Richard Edsell, a member of the executive committee of the Massachusetts ICCASP, echoed the astronomer in calling the action of the committee "high-handed, dictatorial, and un-American."

"It is completely in line with the previous actions of the Wood-Ranking committee and of Rankin in particular. The idea of Rankin himself conducting and making the rules for the committee and then not allowing Professor Shapley counsel is a sign that he is afraid of allowing people freedom of expression." Edsell added that his organization would get in touch with the Speaker of the House to oppose the contempt action.

Liberal Union Votes

The Liberal Union, after hearing C. Fayette Taylor, M.I.T. professor and vice-chairman of the Massachusetts Independent Citizens PAC, condemn Rankin's action, voted last night to distribute petitions among the student body today backing Shapley's position. Taylor himself had expressed hope that such behavior by Rankin and the committee would lead to a recognition by Congress of the group's nature and finally its discontinuance.

The fate of the contempt action was still not clear last night. While Congress is not in session, a committee can vote a contempt citation and submit it to the Speaker, when then turns it over to the District Attorney. The last step is grand jury action, possible indictment, and they trial