Evening star., 1936-06-07
MONAGHAN FLAyS
TOWNSEND PROBE
Criminal Rather Than Legis-
Iative Inquiry Charged
: by Representative.

Gaining a more sympathetic recep-
ton at the hands OF the Townsend
Weekly than he did in the House OF
Representatives, Representative Mon
aehan, Montana Democrat, in the
weekly dated tomorrow, sharply at
tecks the policies of the committee
Investigating old age pension plans
and the action of the full House in
citing DR.. F. E. Townsend and two
of his associates for contempt.
Charging that the committee is con-
Quoting its inquiry as criminal
rather than legislative inquiry, Mon
Afghan closes a three column attack
as follows: ..-.
The weight of authority is, there
fore, behind Dr. Townsend in his
refusal to testify before committee
that is patiently waging an inquiSition
against him and all men connected or
affiliated with him in trying to pro-
mote old-age pensions. The House,
in passing upon an action of this sort,
assumes, therefore, a Judiciary or
quasi judiciary function, function
not granted to it under the Con-
stitution of the United States The
House violates the Constitution in so
doing, and it is my opinion that if
this matter is carried to the highest
authority in this country, the Supreme
Court of the United States, DR..
ToWnSends action in refusing to
testify will be justified and vindi-
Gated"
Preparing Information.
In spite of the representatives as
surance that the doctor will be sue
cessful eventually in court test of
his right to walk out on the Investi-
eating Committee, Assistant United
States Attorney Charles B. Murray
is preparing to present information
in the contempt citations to the grand
jury during the coming week. Rep
resentative c. Jasper Bell, Missouri
Democrat and chairman of the Probe
Committee, is expected to appear be-
fore the jury with stenographic rec
ords of the session at which the doc
tor defied the investigators.
Other records will be presented in
COIlIlSGIlOI1
Clinton L. Wunder and John B. Kie-
fer, o. A. R. P directors, to honor
subpoenas for their appearance.
Edward ]. Margett, California
State manager of the Townsend Or
ganization, has not yet been served
with a subpoena although six of them
calling for his appearance Tuesday
are said to be in the hands Of deputy
marshals on the West Coast. The
marshals claim Margett has been in
hiding but the Townsendite insists
he has been at his San Francisco
Office
Aside from the possibility Of one
brief session to hear additional eco
nomic testimony no further hearings
are planned by the committee unless
Margett consents to appear. In the
event the Californian is served but
refuses to appear, it is expected that
contempt action will be sought in
the House.
Meanwhile, committee members and
Counsel James P. Sullivan are pre-
pairing to draft report on their in
quiry with the hope of having it
completed within 80 days.
In addition to the blast by Repre-
sentative Monaghan, the new issue
of the Weekly continues its attacks
upon the Bell committee and the
Roosevelt administration and directs
equally vigorous charges at Robert
E. Clements, former national secretary
and treasurer of the o. A. R. P. and
co-founder with DR. Townsend of
the pension plan, and at George c.
Highley. president of the Townsend
Club of Los Angeles.
The latter two, the Weekly charges,
conspired to intimidate Walter Town
send, brother of the doctor, into re-
signing his membership in the o. A.
r. P. Walter held the balance of
power since the only other members
were DR.. Townsend and Clements
with policy Of the organization COM
pletely subject to dictation by these
three. The Weekly charges they sent
private detective to Walter to pose
as committee agent and demand his
resignation.
Highley heads the largest Townsend
club in the country, reported to have
26,000 members. Since the investiga-
ton began he has co-operated with
the probers and is reported to have
divorced his club from the Townsend
organization.