The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-06-30
RENEW CHARGE
DEMS CASH IN
ON YEAR BOOK
Congressman Taylor De-
mands Investigation Into
"Hi-Jacking"
Bv HARRY WILSON SHARPE
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 80. lUP)
Charges That southern business
men, mainly recipients of govern
ment contracts, arc being hi
lacked into paying outrageous
prices" for the Democratic year
book autographed by President
Roosevelt, were hurled on the
house floor yesterday by Repre-
sentative j. Will TAYLOR, r.,
Tenn. who demanded depart.
mcrt of Justice investigation.
Taylor, tall and husky and one
of the few Republicans to repre-
sent the deeD south. charged that
ono Col. Lester F. Kjmbrell, rep
rcscnting Mr.. Roosevelt. James
\. Farley and the Democratic MS
tional committee had visited
Nashville and other southern cit
les. selling the book for as much
as $3.50 copy and "pcrsuadinG'
purchasers to take quotas.
Taylor obtained unanimous con-
sent to speak, the first time in his
20 years in congress. He said the
matter had been called to his at
tcntion in Tennessee. He de-
nounced it as "dastardlY skull
duggery and racketecring' and
asserted that doubtless similar
hi-iacking has been and is being
practiced throughout the coun-
try
Similar charges were made re-
Gently by Representative Bertrand
Smell, Republican minority leader
i'm the house who said he would
offer a resolution to determine
whether sale of the book to COR
porations was in violation of the
corrupt practices act
Smells statement drew White
House attention ard Stephen T..
Early, one Of the presidents sec
rctaries, denied that Mr.. Roose-
Welt was aware, when ne agreed
to supply the national committee
with autographs, that the conven-
ton books were to be offered to
corporations with assurances that
the national committee could le-
gally accept the checks. The com
mittee subsequently Informed the
White House the idea of selling
the books was conceived by the
late w. Forbes Morgan. former
committee treasurer, in an at
tempt to liGuidatc the party def
icit. =,
after being naively reminded
of the business they had received
from tho WPA and other federal
alleged relief agencies Taylor
said. "and also significantly IN
formed that there would soon be
additional funds for distribution,
these men were told that a rep
rcscntative Of the president, MI.
Farlcy and the natio|nl commit
tee. had been commissioned to
contact them, as bcncficiarics OF
federal relief FUNDS, and take
thci, orders for the Democratic
hand book to be autographed by
no less = parsonage than the
president Of the United States, at
the significant price Of $3.50 a
niece. The suavc colonel politely
told them that their quota OF
books was in proportion to the
government business each had en-
loved. ranging from two to eight
books. or from $500 to $4,000.
according 20 the banner, the
urbanc colonel told. each of those
he contacted that if they would
sign on the dotted line. he would
be of service to them in the mat
ter of future favorS'."
TAYLOR said he had it OF "unlm-
peachable authority that this nj,
iacker stopped. at a certain hotel
lin Knoxville) where he summon
ed by telephone those whom he
was sent there to fleece. His de-
mands ranged from $500 to Sl5OO
per person"
The Tennosseean charged that
the ALLEGED practice was clear
violation of both the letter ana
spirit of the corrupt practices act
and was no. even clever subrer-
fuge."
AL Caponc, in his palmiest
days" he said, would have scorn-
cd to condcsccnd to such arrant'
cowardly end con5emptible con-
duct. and Jesse James would have
considered it unworthy of his code
of ethics and reflection on his
sense Of sportsmanship:
Here and new | call upon the
department of justice to investi-
gate this outrageous and scandal
Gus practice"