Evening star., 1938-10-26

headed by Representative Dies ven
tured to discuss Communism in rela-
ton to "sit-down" strikes and Gov.
.Murphy's part in the whole strike situ-
alton in Michigan two years ago.
The witnesses who testified, includ-
ing the judge who issued an injunc-
ton ordering Shutdown" strikers to
vacate the plants which they had
seized, argued that Gov. Murphy pre-
vented the sheriff from carrying out
the orders of the court. This is, in
deed, serious charge. The voters Of
Michigan have an opportunity to de-
eide next month whether they want
Gov. Murphy to serve for another
term. If there are facts which bear
on the Michigan Governors record,
1t is puzzling just why the President
of the United States should want these
facts suppressed. Surely congress
sional committees have hitherto con-
sidered the sky the limit as to what
they investigate, and Mr.. Roosevelt
never said word of criticism of the
famous Lobby Committee, for instance,
when it was headed by Senator Black
and the committee went SO far as to
obtain in an unlawful manner private
kilograms through the connivance of
the Federal Communications Com
mission.
President Was Silent.
Though high Federal court de-
nounced the action, the President
lifted ft,oor 70 Nj
guilty Of this misuse Of the powers of
a congressional subpoena.
AS for "flagrantly unfair" methods
OF influencing elections, the public
prints have been filled for weeks
with substantiated articles and charges
by Senate committee itself that
Federal agencies were permitting them
selves to be used to influence elections,
yet not word of condemnation or
action of reprimand has come from
the President about it.
Then there is the matter of the
Maryland bridges, which the President
himself not only spoke of in apublic
address, but he took hand in what
would otherwise have been a routine
matter and ordered the P. w. A. to
issue a memorandum on the night
before the Maryland primaries showing
efforts to expedite said bridges.
1t might be asked also just what
the President was doing when he was
discussing with Senator Brown of
Michigan, Democrat, this very week
the question of big bridge at
Mackinaw in Michigan. There are
people who will believe that the
White House itself was used to tell
the voters in certain sections of Mich
igan that Federal funds would be
available for the construction.
New Order Is Coming.
Likewise it will be asked why Demo-
cratic Senators and Representatives
ale selected as vehicles of expression
for the P. w. A and other Federal
agencies when public funds are to be
spent in their districts, and why occa-
sionally Republican Congressman aren't
permitted to make such announce
ments. But doubtless all this is soon
to come to an end because the Presi-
dent has put ban on the use of
congressional committees for political
purposes, something which in all fair
ness. it will be contended, should be
applied to executive departments and
agencies as well.
When the President speaks of con-
gressional committees engaging in "the
practice of merely providing a forum
for those who, for political purposes
or otherwise, seek headlines which they
could not otherwise get," he possibly
forgets how often the White House
doorstep has been used by his own
henchmen for that very purpose.
Maybe it's an objectionable plan,
and maybe congressional committees
hereafter will ask the White House
what they may or may not do and
what witnesses they may or may not
hear, but any such change would de-
prive the politicians of a sounding
board and the administration itself
would certainly have to practice the
same self-restraint. 1t may be, on the
other hand, that as is customary in