The Washington times., 1936-01-28
INQUIRY AIMED
AT LIBERTY
LEAGUE
BY WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON
international News Service

international News Service
Inquiry into the financial opera.
tions Of all semipolitical national
organizations, now fighting the
Roosevelt Administration, was
launched today by the Black
lobby committee in the Senate
on the heels of Alfred E. Smiths
Liberty League assault on the
New Deal"
Five thousand missionaries
were sent out by the committee
to industrialiStS, bankers, mer-
chants and business men, Sus-
pected of being angels" to the
anttRoosevelt movements.
The 5000 we're asked to describe
in every detail any contributions
to the Crusaders, the Crusaders
National Organization, Inc, SentL
nelS of the Republic, New York
State Economic Council, American
Federation of Utility Investors.
Inc, and the American Liberty
League.
Ah0"CAS OANOA OO
The Intercepted angels" were
asked to answer a host of queS-
tionS about contributions. ad-
vances, loans and refunds and to
make their answers under oath.
Actually, the committee could
not command replies to their
missionaries, but it did have
the power to subpoena anyone
declining to answer and compel
him to reply on the witness stand.
The whole procedure m ay
develop a new constitutional is
sue, questioning the power of Con-
greSS to investigate as part of
lobby inquiry the activities of
Semi-political organizations which
make no attempt to influence
legislation directly by lobbying
with Congress.
While some of the organizations
under inquiry have lobbied before
Congress, others have devoted
their efforts chiefly to attacks on
the administration from public
4OI uLIlS anu LII LIlG pTeSS.
One of the queStionnaires was
reported to have been sent to
former Governor Smith himself.
Points in QUESTIONABLE
Senator Black CD of Alabama,
committee chairman, denied any
intention of prosecuting Mr..
Smith or the Liberty League be-
cause Of his attack upon Roose-
welt policies. It was pointed out
this phase of the lobby inquiry
has been contemplated for weeks
and the questionnaireS prepared
long before Mr.. Smith made his
speech.
Chief points in the question
naire follow:
81. Give names and addresses
Of corporations, partnerships or
organizations with which you
are connected?
"2. Give itemized statement
Of all sums contributed since
January l, 1884, to the CruSad-
erS, Crusaders National Organi.
ZatiOn, inc, American Liberty
League, SentinelS of the Repub-
lie, New York State Economic
Council. American Federation Of
Utility Investors, Inc. american
Federation of Investors, Incl,
American Taxpayers League and
all other organizations of like or
similar character or to any per.
son or organization for the bene-
fit of the aforementioned or.
ganizatiOnS.
I'm giving this statement,
please show each amount con-
tributed, the date of each such
contribution and the purpose
for which made in each in
stance"
FURTHER QUESTIONS
Then the QUESTIONABLE asked the
"angel' to tell who had solicited
him for the contribution and to
whom it was paid 1t further asked
the "angel" to state whether he
had played any "active part in the
conduct and management of the
organizations" and whether he
was consulted at any time by
those in active charge in matters
of plan or policy"
In closing, the QUESTIONABLE
asked the "angep whether he had
received any refund or been re-
imbursed for any part of his con-
tributionS. If so, the donor was
told to name the amount, the per-
son paying him and the date. This
sort of information apparently
was desired so the committee later
can investigate books of the or
CARNATIONS concerned.