House Begins Hearings on Portal Suits; Tel Aviv Official Reports British Set Seven-Day Ultimatum

WASHINGTON, February 3--A proposal by Rep. Walter (D-Pa.) that the Supreme Court recall the master portal pay case and "lay down a clear-cut yard-stick" for such claims marked the start today of House hearings on the $5,000,000,000 problem.

A Supreme Court decision involving employees of the Mt. Clemens, Mich., Pottery Co., has led to the filing of some $5,000,000,000 in portal suits.

"I think," Walter declared, "the Supreme Court ought to recall that case, assume jurisdiction again, and lay down a clearcut yardstick. The Supreme Court would be derelict in its duty to the people generally if it did not do that."

He is a member of the House judiciary subcommittee which began hearings on bills to outlaw the claims with a plea from the Chamber of Commerce of the United States for fast action.

Milton A. Smith, assistant General Counsel of the Chamber, said portal suits "pose a threat of bankruptcy to concerns which are the backbone of the American economic system."

A Senate judiciary subcommittee held hearings last month and is considering legislation now.

Upholding a decision by Federal district judge Frank Picard in the Mt. Clemens case, the Supreme Court held that employers are liable for pay for time employees must spend on their property, even though it is not spent at productive labor.