Evening star., 1936-06-01
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

BY JOHN c. HENRY.
Telling the House Investigating
Committee that not a single original
leader of the Townsend movement
still is associated with the doctor,
Charles M. Hawks, retired Massachu-
sets organizer, declared the move
ment is badly in need of reorganiza-
tion.
"An investigation was absolutely
necessary to keep this movement free
of dishonesty" he said.
Hawks, who is father Of the famed
flyer, Capt. Frank Hawks, resigned
from the Townsend organization, ef-
fective May 90. Before he submitted
his resignation, he said, he was ad-
vised by the doctor to disregard the
committee subpoena to testify.
Believes in Plan.
Asked by Representative Tolan.
Democrat, of California, an avowed
Townsendite, if he still believes in the
Townsend plan, Hawks said:
IT absolutely do. I will dc every
thing can to help enact such pro-
gram"
After thanking the committee for
its consideration, Hawks was excused
and Alfred J. Wright, director of Old
Age Revolving Pensions, Ltd, and
Ohio State manager, was called.
TY,fa ha y,,i+taa fhaf ha
was awaiting some material from
Cleveland, Wright was excused until
this afternoons session
Donald Y. Wimple, committee in
vestigator. then was placed on the
stand. Wimple told of his first meet
ing with Clinton Wunder, Eastern
director of the Townsend organiza-
ton, who is now under citation for
contempt for failing to honor a COM
mittee subpoena, at the Boston Y. M.
c. A. At that time. Wimple said,
Wunder turned over some correspond
ence.
Letters Not Read.
Committee Counsel James r. Sulli-
van asked that the letters be intro
duced into the record but said that he
did not desire to read them because of
their obscene" nature. The COM
mittee consented.
Several of the letters were personal
missives between Wunder and John
B. Kiefer, Chicago Townsendite also
under contempt citation. Consider
able attention in the letters was given
to female friends.
In Wunder's letters early this year,
he makes frequent attacks on r. E.
Clements, their national secretary and
treasurer of o. A. r. P. Wunder re-
signed from the association last Win
ter but rejoined it in the Spring Just
before Clements quit on April l.
A letter to Wunder from John H.
Durgin contained the following refer
ence to the investigations:
&c" This has set back the
Townsend movement more than any
thing else that could have happened.
Have run across people who will not
even pay their 10 cents per month.
They say they are not going to pay
their money and have it stolen"
Hawks told the committee he Joined
the Townsend movement in its begin
ming in Hollywood, Calf. In Septem-
ber, 1885, he was sent to Boston to be-
come State area manager for Mas
sachusetts. working under Clinton
Wunder,, Eastern director.
There was no thought Of politics or
personal financial gain when the
movement started, Hawks said.
Explaining that ne helped start the
movement in Cleveland and later spent
several weeks in Washington, Hawks
said it became very necessary" for
him TO 60 to Boston first in February,
1885. At that time, he said, two Mas
sachusetts organizers had started pri-
vate financial activities within the
movement. Later, he said, he straight
ened out similar trouble in Minneapo-
lis.
Describing Townsend's action in ad-
viSing against obeying the subpoena,
Hawks said the doctor called him from
Baltimore.
"'Our strategy is to pay no atten-
ton to the subpoena Hawks re-
peated Townsends advice
40. k. Doc Hawks said he an
swered. "Iu think it over
II decided the doctor was being
advised to violate the Federal law"
Hawks continued. Il think more of
my country than that"
Meanwhile, two other points were
being watched as the struggle con-
tinued between the major political
parties on one hand and Townsendism
on the other.
At the office of United States At
torney Leslie C. Garnett preparations
were being made to submit to the
grand jury the contempt citations
against DR.. Townsend and his two
aides, Wunder and John B. Kiefer.