Evening star., 1938-08-30

3CStly 4Ol ScNtldl
years. Refuge has been taken in the
theory that if contribution by a
Federal employe is voluntary it is
all right and that the law refers only
to solicitation which amounts to coer-
cion or undue influence But a care
full reading of the text of the law
which has been brought to public
attention by the activities of Senator
Sheppard'S committee shows that the
Democratic National Committee has
been receiving many contributions in
violation of the existing criminal code.
The statute says:
1T is unlawful for any Senator or
Representative in, or delegate or resi-
dent commissioner to Congress, or any
candidate for, or individual elected as,
Senator, Representative, delegate or
resident commissioner, or any officer
or employe of the United States, or
any person receiving any salary or
compensation for services from money
derived from the Treasury of the
United States to directly or indirectly
solicit, receive or be in any manner
concerned in soliciting or receiving
any assessment, subscription or con-
trlbutlon for any political purpose
whatever, from any other such officer,
employe or person"
Autographed Books Sold.
The records will show that the
Postmaster General is also chairman
of the Democratic National Commit
tee. and that through the Jackson
Day dinners held throughout the
country many Federal employees con-
tributed for political purposes VARYING
sums, that these sums were received
by the Postmaster General and that
he addressed the Federal employees by
radio at these dinners
The records also will show that the
contributions of Federal employees were
made in 1896 for the benefit of the
presidential campaign and yet the
CRIMINAL code says it is unlawful for
any person receiving any salary or
compensation for services from money
derived from the Treasury of the
United States certainly de-
scrlbes the President-to be in any
manner concerned in soliciting or re-
celving any assessment, subscription
or contribution for any political
purpose"
The President signed lot of cam
paien text books with his autograph
and these were sold to many persons
who received compensation for serv-
ices from money derived from the
Treasury of the United States"
There have been some mistaken no.
tlons among Federal employees that
1t the solicitation did not take place
on Federal building premises, it was
lawful, but the criminal code clearly
says it is unlawful for a Federal Off
Ger to be in any manner concerned
IN soliciting or receiving directly or
indirectly" SO it would appear that
no solicitation of Federal employees or
those who receive money from the
Government is proper"
More Rigid Law Proposed.
Many OF the solicitations were car
rled on among private firms and COM
panles which have had or now have
Government contracts and the crimi-
nal code would seem to make it un-
lawful for contributions to be received
from them.
The Senate Campaign Expenditures
Committee has indicated it will pro-
pose a strengthening of the Federal
Corrupt Practices Act and the crimi-
nal code, but it will be asked what
value such amendments will be if the
existing law is not enforced.
incidentally it is difficult to see
how the w. P. A. workers who re-
Gently announced they would get up
S50,000 fund to elect or defeat rep
resentatives and Senators of their
choosing will avoid violating the Grim
inal code. But, on the other hand.
they probably do not expect to be
prosecuted, any more than the cor
porations were which contributed to
the New Deal, and presumably. as
Harry Hopkins stated recently, the w.
P. A. workers are naturally" 90 per
cent for the New Deal. Hence the
$4,000 will be used mostly in be-
half OF New Deal representatives
and Senators, which alone makes pros
ecution highly unlikely by the pres
ent Department of Justice.
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