Evening star., 1938-08-30
ASSA|[S
HOPKINS CHARGE
Says Administrator Seeks
to BeCIoud Issue in
W. P. A. Dispute.
4y the Associated Press.

controversy over alleged political ac-
tlvities Of the w. P. A. in Tennessee
Mr.. Hopkins said recently in let
Ter addressed to Chairman Sheppard,
Democrat, of Texas of the Senate
that Senator Berry had demanded
that I'VE turn over the Works Prog
ress Administration in Tennessee to
him, bag and baggage
Mr.. Hopkins charge was the out
growth of Senator Berry's protest that
w P. A. officials in the State had led
the fight which resulted in his de-
feat for the Democratic senatorial
nomination by A. T. Stewart
Meanwhile, Chairman Sheppard is
planning to investigate circumstances
of the announcement by j. Hampton
Magruder, Maryland collector of in
ternal revenue, that he will support
Representative David J. Lewis. who
Is opposing Senator Tydings in the
Maryland primary.
Would Vote for Lewis.
Mr. Magruder told non-civil service
employees under him that he was going
to vote for Lewis, although they could
vote as they pleased. Senator Shep-
pard said he would look into the pos
slbility Mr.. Magruder may have been
using his official position TO influence
employees under him.
Mr.. Hopkins knows that this Is
untrue in every A. B. c. detail" Sen
ator Berry asserted in his letter to
Senator Sheppard today. The Senate
Campaign Expenditures Committee is
Investigating Senator Berry's previous
charges and Mr.. Hopkins reply.
OF Mr.. Hopkins charge that SEN
stor Berry, after his appointment to
the Senate, sought to take over W.
P A. patronage, the Senator wrote:
This statement is untrue and is
dlsassociated from scintilla of fact,
and nobody knows 1t better than
Administrator Hopkins"
Cites His Protests.
The defeated candidate quoted from
letters he wrote Mr. Hopkins and
Aubrey Williams, assistant w. P. A.
administrator. last spring protesting
against what he called the partisan
activities, unfair conduct and waste
Of funds" by the w. P. A. in Ten
nessee.
Senator Berry reiterated his charge
knat Harry S. Berry, Tennessee W. P A.
administrator and no relation of the
Senator. and Rhoton Cliff. Admins
traitor Berry's assistant, had been ac-
tive in the campaign against him. He
said Mr.. Hopkins confessed" in his
letter to Senator Sheppard that Ten
nessee relief rolls were increased in
June and July, during the senatorial
campaign.
Denying he had sought to put the
W. P. A. to political use, Senator Berry
said that he believed that it was
utterly assinine" for any candidate
to predicate his campaign on the
political influence of the w. P. A.
Disagrees With Morgenthau.
A conflict developed yesterday be-
tween Chairman Sheppard and Secre-
tary Morgenthau as to whether Fed
eral employees could contribute legally
to campaign funds under any circum-
stances
Senator Sheppard asserted it was his
Interpretation of the law that no Fed
eral employe could give money to any
person to be used for the benefit of a
candidate for the Senate or House,
regardless of whether the contribution
was voluntary.
Secretary Morgenthau, at his first
press conference since his return from
q vacation In France, did not alter
his previously expressed view that
there was no law against voluntary
contributions by Treasury employees to
political funds, If the donations were
not made to person in the service Of
the United States.
Mr.. Morgenthau said that if there
was any of1ense it was on the part of
she solicitor and not the contributor.
When Senator Sheppard's attention
was called to the fact that the Civil
Service Commission had made a simi-
lar ruling, the committee chairman
said he proposed to obtain q formal
decision by his committee on the
question. This could be used as a
guide, he indicated, in the future
conduct OF senatorial campaigns.
Believes Hopkins in Error.
Senator Sheppard commented also
that he believed w. P. A. Admin
istrator Hopkins was in error" in
approving the posting of notices by
Harry S. Berry. Tennessee w. P. A,
administrator, that relief clients could
or could not contribute to campaign
funds, as they chose. CHASING w. P.
A. workers as Federal employees, Sera-
tor Sheppard said he believed the
law precluded their making any politi-
cal contributions
He questioned a section of instruc-
tions sent by Secretary Morgenthau to
Treasury workers, September TO- 1884,
which are still in effect.
At that time Mr. Morgenthau noti-
fed the Treasury employees that in
etructions against political activity
sent them previously should not be
construed to prevent any employe
from voluntarily contributing to the
campaign fund of the party of his
choice, if such contribution is made
freely and without coercion or i'm
proper solicitation and is not made
to a person in the service of the
United States"
Senator Sheppard said the COM
nnittee took the view that Treasury
employees in California, acting with
the knowledge of Mr.. Morgenthau's
instructions, nevertheless had vio-
lated the law by making voluntary
contributions to the campaign fund
OF Senator McAdoo, Democrat, of
California.
The committee found however,
that there had been no effort on the
part of Senator McAdoo or his mana
gers to assess or "shake-down" these
employees for contributions, he said.
Morgenthau Investigating.
Mr.. Morgenthau told reporters that
ne was investigating reports of cam
palgn contributions heinp soIicitad ~,