Nation: The President And the Capo

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In the end, the committee's performance turned out to be far more solid and thorough than anyone had expected at the outset, two years ago, when members and staffers feuded in public and repeatedly leaked unsubstantiated reports that there was "new evidence" of a conspiracy. Part of the committee's increased professionalism followed the appointment of G. Robert Blakey, a Cornell law professor, as counsel and Ohio Democrat Louis Stokes as chairman. But much of the credit must go to North Carolina Democrat Richardson Preyer, who headed the subcommittee that probed J.F.K.'s assassination. In two years as a federal judge and ten years in Congress, Preyer, 59, a Bible-quoting Presbyterian elder, has won wide respect for fairness and patience. He soothed the personality conflicts, helped stop the leaks, and set the committee to work.

Were the findings worth the $5 million spent during the investigation? Said Preyer: "It was important that something be done for the peace of mind of the country. We have succeeded in putting to rest some of the doubts. Some questions, however, never will be answered."