Salt Lake Telegram | 1931-05-15 | Page 7 | Democrats to Test Powers of Committees

r TO TOi TOW i TEST W Of r COMMITTEES I IN IN N y Y Minority to Determine oae m e eI I Authority y of Investigating l ing Body I r ri fr i f. f NEW YORK May 15 Mem Diem bers Aers ers of or the Democratic minority on the he legislative l c blaU committee appointed It to Investigate the city government announced today that the basis had been been 1 laid add for Jor a court test of or the corn com com I powers posers I i i A It of or rc resolutions Introduced at a ft committee meeting yesterday b by i i Democratic members and consistently consistent consistent- j i ly y voted rated down by the Republican majority majority ma ma- ma-I ma Is 13 the ground groundwork ork upon which the Democrats Democrat expect a n. witness will wm challenge the committees committee's s powers In inthe the lithe courts on the ground that his lids sights rights arc being Invaded The Democrats sought primarily io to knock out secret one man subcommittee subcommittee hearings authorized by the thc committee and from which Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- will be barred because of or their minority standing As ME Louis of or I i i i i j i I New New York said eald after alter the meeting that the Democrats on the committee would rould not court action to tot test t test t the legally of the existence of at atI the committee or Its Us power to function tune tune-I lion tion but said that a court test l rob rob- ably would auld be sought by a v witness I Ij Ii In At their resolutions the Democrats attacked the con constitutionality of at the I legislation creating the committee i and also alEO the power uC of the committee to grant Immunity to witnesses Samuel Scabury Seabury counsel for the committee advised Senator Samuel H. H chairman on points raised in the Democratic resolutions Republican members of oC the committee committee com com- said that minority members may be granted the privilege of or at attending attending at- at I at-I tending one-man one secret hearings as ns asa asa a 1 courtesy