Griswold Attacks McCarthy-Type Probes

Law School Dean Erwin N. Griswold attacked the "corruptive investigating practices of headline-seeking congressional committees" Tuesday night, when he appeared with two other educators on Edward R. Murrow's "See It Now" television program.

In answer to a question from a Law School student, Griswold implied that he considered the phrase "corruptive investigating practices" descriptive of the tactics of Senator Joeseph McCarthy, althrough he did not mention the Senator by name during the broadcast. He emphasized at the outset of the program the difference between a congressional committee functioning in a lawmaking capacity, and more "headline hunters."

Griswold also asserted that "no committee or committee chairman has the power to conduct investigations or subpoena witnesses merely because the chairman is a congressman." He added that because the powers exercised by investigating committees is that of the entire legislative body, the responsibility of investigation should rest with the entire body. "The investigating process is necessarily a corporate process," he said.

Emphasizing the urgency of the need for reform, Griswold charged that "the investigating power has been delegated to one person who has too often paid little attention to the Constitutional rights of the individuals called before him."

All three speakers made similar proposals as alternatives to present investigating practices. Both Griswold and Jefferson B. Fordham, Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, suggested that Congress appoint an independent commission such as that now investigating the Oppenheimer case. This commission would take over the duties presently carried out by the Velde, Jenner, and McCarthy Committee.

The television program, which originated in New York, was entitled "How Shall Congressional Investigating Committees Conduct Themselves Under Law?" Because none of the local television stations carry Murrow's program regularly, Boston was "blacked out" from the original broadcast. Miss Lee Silvian, publicity director of the program, asserted, however, that CBS might rebroadcast the film if there were enough demand for it.

Fred W. Friendly, Murrow's co-producer, said last night that many more requests would have to come to him before he would authorize any re-release.

Miss Silvian expressed surprise yesterday that the program had not received strong editorial comment.