Evening star., 1939-12-11
Hatch 10 Urge
Extension Of Act
To State Aides
To Ask Murphy How
Much Congress Can
Limit Political Work
By ], A, O'LEARY.

The approaching session of Con-
gress will be urged to extend to
State employees the principles of the
Hatch law, which restricts political
activity among Federal employees. it
was announced today by Senator
Hatch, Democrat, of New Mexico,
author of the original legislation.
Between now and January the
New Mexico Senator said he plans
to resume conferences with Attorney
General Murphy. to determine how
far Congress can go under the
Constitution in restricting active
participation by State employees in
political campaigns.
Senator Hatch said he will make
every effort to have bill on the
subject put through before the 1910
national election campaign gets in
full swing. One of the arguments
raised against the present law when
1t was being debated in Congress
was that it would keep Federal en-
ployes from taking active part in po-
litical campaigns. while leaving
thousands of State workers free to
do So
A Bill Pending.
There Is already pending on the
Senate calendar a bill by Senator
Neely, Democrat. of West Virginia,
which approaches the problem by
proposing to withhold Federal
grants from any State which does
not adopt for its employees certain
civil service standards and rules
against political activity.
These restrictions would be ap-
piled to all State employees paid in
whole or in part from Federal funds.
The system of Federal aid to the
States now covers such wide field
of activity that the Nicely bill
would reach thousands of workers.
The largest groups would be those
engaged in Federal-aid highway
construction and the various phases
of the social security program.
Senator Hatch said he wants a bill
Of that general nature. but indicated
that he will continue his own study
Of the subject in cooperation with
the Attorney Generals office before
deciding on detailed provisions.
Since the Hatch law was passed
early this year public interest in it
has centered largely around the pro-
vision barring Federal Office holders
from serving as delegates to the
political conventions. 1t also had
as one of its major purposes the
keeping of politics out of relief. and
Senator Hatch expressed the belief
today that it has ACCOMPLISHED that.
Greater Powers Seen.
The Hatch Act also is designed to
protect Government employees from
coercion in the collection of political
campaign funds.
The law already has resulted in
The resignation from party positions
of Federal office holders, Senator
Hatch said, and in one instance it
caused United States marshal to
resign his post in order to retain his
position as party official.
Senator Hatch said preliminary
studies made by the Justice Depart
nent about the constitutionality of
his new proposal indicated that
Congress may have greater powers
than heretofore supposed over elec-
lions in which Senators and Repre-
Ientatives are chosen.
In the Newberry case, IS years
ago, the Supreme Court ruled that
primary elections were State affairs,
over which the Senate had no
policing power.
Il would like to see that question
tested in the Supreme Court again."
Senator Hatch said Il believe there
are constitutional grounds for Con-
gress to make regulations affecting
primaries in which candidates for
Federal office are chosen"