Show Report From Washington REP LAURENCE J J. J BURTON The cry of or Keep the faith baby may yet be heard again from the man who made it famous Harlem Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Although the man who represents some In New Yorks York's District was formally seated by the House of Representatives tives on January 3 his problems problems problems lems are not over yet The scene on the House floor was like a movie run re-run of two years ago when members ar argued argued ar- ar gued pro and con over the seating of Powell because of alleged misuse of public funds Unlike the results of two years ago however this time Powell was seated He had to pay a aprIce aprice aprice price for House Membership though He was fined and stripped of his seniority The Issues are still stUl unclear concerning the man whom Iowa Congressman H H. H HR R R. R Gross calls a high-flying high whisky- whisky drinking man Even though Powell meets the Constitutional requirements for mem membership a citizen of age and has as residency residency residency res res- in Harlem there are many questions unanswered red It was eight years ago when Powell on a TV program called a a. a Harlem woman a bag ag woman woman woman wom wom- an or graft collector The woman sued Powell and won He refused to pay the money and left New York City os ostensibly ostensibly ostensibly os- os to avoid being arrested arrest arrest- ed on criminal contempt charges Then the newspaper headlines broke about Powells Powell's Powells Bimini retreat where it was charged he had hired a maid and cook from Education and Welfare Committe Commute funds and where he allegedly was enjoying his life fun with a girl friend Oh yes his wife wife liv liv livIng ing in Puerto Rico was also on his payroll but apparently doing nothing to earn her wages A bipartisan House commit commit- committee tee investigated Powell He was found to have more than of committee funds for himself and his friends The report was made public and passed on to the Justice De Department Department Department De- De for action Incidentally Incidentally Incidentally Inci Inci- dentally the Justice Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment dropped the case recently bringing no Indictment and giving no reasons The House should take care of Its own Members If It Members Members Members Mem Mem- bers bring disrespect rather than honor to the House then they should not be allowed to take a seat The Constitution Article 1 Section Five stipulates stipulates stipulates lates that the House shall be bethe bethe bethe the judge of Its own members The Members judged Powell on January 3 3 In my opinion however he was allowed back without full penalty I think there should have been a three three- week investigation of the whole Powell problem as was suggested suggested suggested sug sug- at the proceedings True Powell will wUl have to pay but what about the he was found to have misused Powell was stripped of seniority seniority seniority senior senior- ity but already he has laughed laugh laugh- ed that off orf He believes the Supreme Court will reverse the decision of the Congress restoring his seniority and pay Even if the highest court Inthe in inthe inthe the land did decide his way I dont don't think Congress would do anything about It It would be bea a case of one branch of the government Interfering with another Each branch of course is a check on the other but since the Constitution does spell out that the House candeal can candeal candeal deal with its own Members I doubt the Supreme me Court would find for Powell especially In view of the fact that the House seated him on January 3 Powell did get one over on the rest of the House however After the November election he requested from the SuperIntendents SuperIntendent's Superintendents Superintendent's Superintendents Superintendent's dents dent's office a similar office as he had In the Congress Congress- a plush suite In the new Rayburn Rayburn Rayburn Ray- Ray burn House Of Office flee Building The Superintendent complied and gave him a new office When Powell was stripped of his se seniority seniority se- se on January 3 that put him behind even the Freshman Freshman Fresh- Fresh man Congressmen because they were sworn into into office earlier In th the day The new nevi offices are filled with members members mem mem- bers bers holding seniority Powell has a a new office and up come a number of Congressmen with several terms In office wantIng wanting wanting want want- ing his suite When asked about it Powell simply puffed on his cigar put on a big grin and said said My new office Is larger iO Sl Iy held hela u. u v t I aI and d this One one n even even eh fl has S a gar garbage garbage gar gar- bage disposal The question of Powells Powell's suite will be settled by the the he House Office Building Commission Commission Commission Com Com- mission composed of two Democrats Democrats Dem Dem- House Speaker John McCormack Me- Me Cormack of Massachusetts and Emanuel Celler of New York and Republican Congressman Bill BUl Cramer of Florida They have already met once but declined any action because of the absence of Mr Celler They have not set the date for another meeting but their decision once reached will wUl be final Sound reasoning should bring action to take Mr Powell from his plush suite and give it to toa a Congressman with seniority but we shall have to watt walt and see Coming back to the question on representation for Harlem's residents surely they need a voice In Congress They voted Powell back to office when a special election was held after Congress made va vacant vacant vacant va- va cant his seat two years ago and they voted him to office in last Novembers November's election They have to my thinking simply been duped Into thinking thinking thinking think think- ing that the whole Issue is nothing more than racism as Powell put it that the charges have been trumped up against him simply because he heIs heis heis is a Negro I think the people of Harlem deserve better representation than the likes of Adam Clayton Clayton Clayton Clay Clay- ton Powell However when they continue to vote him into office then perhaps they should have havethe havethe havethe the man who keeps telling them to Keep the faith |