McCarthy Says Kamin's Testimony Was Needed for Espionage Inquiry

Senator Joseph R. McCarthy yesterday took the stand in the contempt of Congress trial of Leon J. Kamin '49 and testified he had called Kamin before his subcommittee as part of a wide investigation of subversion in defense installations in 1954.

McCarthy said he had hoped Kamin, as "a press organizer, and a paid member of the Communist party" would have been able to reveal the names of Communists in defense plants. Such names were essential for "the full picture" of Communist infiltration the Senate needed before framing laws, he said.

When the trial resumes this morning, McCarthy will return to the witness box for questions by defense counsel Calvin P. Bartlett.

Yesterday's session was held despite the holiday in order to make up for time lost in Tuesday's mistrial. There is now no jury in the trial.

The Wisconsin Senator denied any intent to investigate the University "as an educational institution." He said he left that to the Internal Security and House Un-American Activities Committee. "We were interested in Harvard because it was doing a lot of defense work."

McCarthy was the fourth government witness called yesterday. Before him appeared Roy M. Cohn, former chief counsel to McCarthy's Investigating Subcommittee, and two stenotype reporters who took notes of subcommittee sessions.

The government was attempting to establish the subcommittee's authority to ask the questions Kamin refused to answer in January 1954. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Harrington, Jr. introduced documents on the McCarthy subcommittee's history and asked the Senator and Cohn to describe the events which led up to Kamin's being called to testify.

Defense Objects Frequently

Defense attorney Bartlett interrupted the government with frequent objections and used his cross-examination periods to begin building evidence to disprove the subcommittee's authority. He also asked questions about the procedure followed at the 1954 hearing.

Questions Bartlett asked Cohn tried to establish that the subcommittee possessed very little written material about Kamin before it called him. Cohn and McCarthy relied on information provided by their staff-director, Francis P. Carr.

After sharp questions from Bartlett whether any legislation had resulted from the subcommittee's investigation. Cohn said he was sure some bills had been introduced, but could not remember any specifically.