Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-08-15
Business In
Body Blow At
Senate Critics

Washington, Aug. 15.-(AP)-Cri-
ticism by the Senate Civil Liberties
| Committee of what it said were huge
| expenditures by the national associa-
ton of manufacturers for "propa-
ganda" brought from the association
today a reply that its public infor-
nation program was aimed, among
other things, at combating Smear
campaigns against business"
And, the association added, the
committees investigation and report
"are examples of the assaults on
business that have retarded re-
cOvery"
In its report, the senate commit
tee said the association of the na-
tional labor relations act, had flooded
the nation with anti-labor propa-
ganda and had bOasted "that it's pro-
paganda had influenced the political
opinions of millions Oh citizens and
affected their choice of candidates
for federal Offices
| 1t declared the associations op-
Grating budget totalled 1,44O,OOO on
1887 and that expenditures had been
increasing since 1888.
Asserting that most of the money
came from "an inner clique" of big
corporations, the report asserted the
association was "a vehicle for spend
! ing corporate funds to influence
elections
Soon after the report was filed at
the capitol, the association issued a
| statement in reply which said at the
outset that facts brought out in hear
lngS before the committee "are suf-
| ficient answer to the tissue of half
| truths and innuedO now offered by
the two senators (LaFollette prog
Wis) and Thomas D-Utah) who
comprise the committee) as the result
of their two-year inquisition, and as
justification for their further eXpen-
diture of public funds''
The statement went on to observe
that, business is harassed constantly
by official invasion and disregard of
the very civil rights to which the
senate subcommittee name pays
eloquent but meaningless lip service"
In its report, the LaFollette COM
mittee raised the question whether
expenditures by the association to in
fluence public thinking ''does not
cOntravene the we'll established pub
lie policy forbidding corporations to
make contributions IN connection
with political elections
AS to this, the association said that
while the committee CONDEMNS the
associations expenditures as having
some ulterior indirect political pur-
poses' the inquiry group made no
refernce "to direct political contri-
buttons and political activities of la
Dor organizations"
"The investigation has been con-
fined to alleged violations and abuses
by employers" the NAM statement
continued. can impartial investiga-
ton would have been directed fear
lessly at coercion Of employers from
any source, including certain types
! Of labor organizations and labor
! leaders,"
| AS to the charges of a country
wide propaganda campaign against
the labor law, the association said
that "tWo brief comments will suf-
flee"
First, the right of any Individual
or group to criticize proposed or en-
mental civil rights which the SUBJ
COllIllCCee dSSeIIS IL Is ZedlOuS 10 pro-
tect. Second, the MANS public in
formation program was designed to
stimulate community goodwill, to
foster more general understanding
of business as the source of jobs and
livelihoods, to promote sound ma
tional recovery and to combat smear
, campaigns against business
I Discussing the source of the MANS
funds, the LaFollette committee said
that during the five-year period,
1933-37, E. l. Du Pont De Nemours
and Company was the heaviest con-
tributor, providing $118,6OO General
Motors corporation was second, the
committee said, with $66,50O.
Carrots, says noted nutritious