Evening star., 1938-05-08
Big Waue of Investigations
Is Sweeping the Country
MOues From Coast to Coast in Crucial
Election Year, With Political
Implications Hidden.
By JOHN LEAR.

BY JOHN LEAR.
NEW YORK, May Z (R.-A wave of
investigations is crossing the United
States today.
In a crucial election year. 1t sweeps
from coast to coast with political i'm
plications that can be fully known
only at election time.
Republicans are investigating Dem
ocratS, Democrats are investigating
Republicans, Democrats are investi-
eating Democrats, Republicans are in
vestigating Republicans, and others
are just investigating.
Two State Governors and two lieu
tenant Governors are under fire, many
lesser officials are under indictment,
some are in jail and more are on the
anxious seat under questioning before
grand juries.
The inquiries spread in all direc-
tions from the prosecutors office where
New York's Thomas Dewey mopped
up the rackets in the Nations big
gest city.
Mr.. Dewey disclaims all credit for
any probes outside New York, but a
constant stream of sheriffs, district
attorneys, attorneys general and grand
jurors has been visiting the Dewey
office and learning how the Dewey
methods can be applied back home.
And in Mr.. Deweys correspondence
files is a stack of invitations to make
keynote speeches" for reform drives
in all parts of the country.
Invitations Turned Down.
All the visitors are told everything
Mr. DeWey's staff can tell. All the in
vitations are politely turned down be-
cause Mr.. Dewey still has plenty Of
work to do here in New York.
His box score to date is IS convic-
tions in rs tries in rackets cases since
July, 1885 His drive has removed all
of the 10 top public enemies named
by the city police in l934-either
through prison sentences. gangland's
"silencing" death, or fugitive flight.
But there are still 20 persons under
indictment in the notorious "Lepke-
Gurrah" extortions, IL in the Dixie
Davis numbers game" case and 5 in
taxicab syndicate
Aside from New York-where Mr..
DeWey's work Influenced the last elec-
ton and may we'll influence the next
through prosecution of Albert Mari
nelli. Tammany district leader soon
due for Federal trial on Dewey's
charge of harboring a fugitive-and
numerous other cases. some of the
heaviest political reperccssions have
been in Pennsylvania.
Earle Interested.
There President Roosevelt's friend
and ardent supporter, Gov. George
H. Earle, is interested in three inves-
legations that will help determine his
hight for James Davis seat in the
United States Senate
Two Of the three-one by a Re-
publican district attorney and a
Dauphin County grand jury and the
other by Gov Earles own State JUS
tice Department-are inquiries into
Charles j. Margiotti's charges of
bought" legislation and irregularities
in State purchases. Mr.. Margiotti
ran for the Republican nomination for
Governor four years ago and is now a
candidate for the same job on the
Democratic ticket He was Gov.
Earle's attorney general until he in
sisted On grand jury rather than a
State probe of his buying" charges;
nvIA :
the other inquiry
Today the new attorney general,
Guy K. Bard, indicated he would ad-
wise Gov. Earle not to accede to the
request of Dauphin Countys Repub-
hcan district attorney, Carl B. Shell
ley, that all the States books be
opened to the grand jury. Bards
statement that the grand jury probe
might be fishing expedition" which
could "paralyze the business of State
government heightened rumors that
Gov. Earle would appeal to the Su-
preme Court to stop the grand jury
probe.
The third investigation, by the
Works Progress Administration, will
inquire into accusations that hackers
OF Democratic United States Senator
Joseph Guffey were coercing w. P. A.
workers into supporting a Democratic
primary election date: May ID
ticket headed by 1t. Gov. Thomas
Kennedy for Governor and Philadel-
phia's Mayor S. Davis Wilson for the
senate seat Gov. Earle wants.
Split Between Democrats,
Behind all the noise was a split
between the Democratic State Com
mittee and Senator Guffey over pri-
mary candidates. Guffey insisted on
It. Gov. Kennedy. Labor Leader John
Lewis United Mine Workers lieu
tenant, for Governor. The State COM
mittee insisted on Charles Alvin
Jones, Pittsburgh attorney, for Gov
ernor and Gov. Earle for Senator.
Both factions claim allegiance to
President Roosevelt. but their strife
may lose him control of Pennsylvania
control he won for the Democratic
party for the first time since the Civil
War. Former Gov. Clifford Pinchot,
who has a history of winning elec-
tions through split opposition, is one
OF the Republican candidates for Gov
ernor.
Politics also has cropped up in two
other Pennsylvania investigat tions.
conducted in Philadelphia; one by
special grand jury which this week
indicted LOT persons after six months
OF studying Philadelphia vice; the
second legislative commission in
vestigating criminal courts.
In terms of possible effect on elec-
toral votes in 1910, the probing of
greatest import outside Pennsylvania
is in Ohio.
Davey Being Investigated.
There another attorney general.
Herbert S. Duffy, is investigating
charges involving another Covernor