The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-05-19
CONTACT MEN
FACE EXPOSE
IN CONGRESS
Mysterious Figures Carried
on Pay Roll; Never Work
in Washington.
FIX FENCES AT HOME
Representatives Take Care
of Relatives as Clerks
and Secretaries.
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
Copyright. 1882. BY United Press


United Press stan CorrssDondent
WASHINGTON, May 19.-f the
house adopts the pending Warren
resolution TO open its secret pay roll
records. an unidentified assortment
OF mysterious figures known as CON
tact men" will be disclosed nesting
among more than a thousand per-
sons in the list, in among the wives,
children, "in-laws," the aged and in
firm.
These men, carried on the house
pay roll as clerks, stay in the con-
CHEESEMAN'S home district. Their
duties vary.
Some are law partners Of mem
bers and the government pay Of per
haps 5000 or so a month-the con-
gresham can fix 1t at any amount
up to $4,000 year-may be used to
take care Of the congressman's share
of general office expenses. Often it
will pay the office rent and ste
nographer.
Some Are Relatives
Some OF these contact men are
relatives, who may or may not do
anything. One son of a prominent
member manages his fathers bust
ness interests. Another is news
paper correspondent.
One is a mysterious woman who
could not be located, though an
extensive search OF the district was
made. She apparently was unknown
in the members home town. But
she still gets her pay roll check
from the clerk of the house, or at
least there is name on the pay
roll.
One senator has a bank president
on the pay roll as his contact
man." Another, who happens to
be a bank president. until recently
had on his sister-in-law. who is
assistant cashier of his bank. She
never has been TO Washington.
Representative Henry t. Rainey,
house ma ority leader, says these
contact men" are kept to mend
congressmmen's political fences at
government expense. An equally
prominent member defends the
practice, saying that in his own
case his son handles much OF his
congressional business.
Has Many Duties
Representative John c. Schafer
(Rep., Wis., has a district which
includes the southern part of the
city Of Milwaukee, plus several
suburbs. The congressman uses
his house there as a permanent
Office.
His field secretary or contact man,
paid out of the representatives
private pocket, is available for vet
Grams who want help with disability
claims or other veteran bureau bust
ness. He also must keep watch on
all birth certificates.
A letter Is sent to every pair OF
proud parents in the district, off,
cially welcoming the new citizen
into the community. And what new
fathers sales resistance would not
crumble under the melting warmth
of a letter from his congressman,
arriving in fine white envelope
with a large blue ranking sigma
ture printed in the corner?
This contact man also has other
duties. The free seed graft finally
was abolished by congress after the
cartoonists and editorial writer's OF
the nation made it a standing
American joke.
Free Pamphlet Here
But the propaganda age has pro-
duced the successor of the free seed
the free pamphlet. They are
turned out by the thousands, at the
government printing office. Con-
pressmen send them to constituents.
They not only comply with requests
for pamphlets. but stir up demand.
Little ever is said about the most
important use of the contact men
in soliciting campaign contribu-
lions. He is useful in learning the
''lowdown" on anybody that the
congressman might need to know
about.
He hears the first rumble OF
threatened opposition and sends