Evening star., 1939-01-03
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10 coerce or influence the political
action Of any person.
;. To amend the Work Relief Act
% as to make 1t felony, instead
Of q misdemeanor, for any person
knowingly by means Of fraud,
force, threat, intimidation, boycott,
or discrimination on account OF
race, religion, political afaliations,
Or membership in a labor organiza-
taon, to deprive any person of any OF
the benefits to which he may be
entitled under the Work Relief Act
4. To make it a misdemeanor for
any person knowingly to furnish or
disclose any list of persons receiving
benefits under Federal relief acts,
or of persons engaged in the
administration of these acts, for
delivery to a political candidate,
committee, campaign manager or
employe thereof.
S. To make it unlawful for OFF,
eials, employees and persons now
named in section 208, title 10, of the
United States Code, not only to
solicit and receive political con-
4tributions, but by any one acting
In their behalf.
Would Limit Contributions.
-" 6. To fix limit upon the con-
tributions which any individual may
make in behalf of a candidate seek
ing election to a Federal office.
7. TO compel all candidates for
the Senate to file with the secretary
OF the Senate a full statement of
receipts and expenditures incurred
by or in behalf of such candidates
IN their campaigns for nomination
as we'll as for election.
8. To extend the prohibition
against corporations from making
contributions in the present Corrupt
Practices Act to primary campaigns.
9. To regulate more strictly the
use of the franking privilege.
1i The committee also recommends
that the Senate "take under con-
sideration" the question whether or
not a contribution for political pur-
poses made voluntarily or invol-
unfairly by persons in the employ
of the Federal Government should
be prohibited.
Another recommendation calls
upon the Senate to consider legisla-
ton "in connection with coalition
and group tickets" And still an
other proposes that the Senate adopt
q rule of its own authorizing the
Vice President, at the beginning OF
each Congress, to appoint a Senate
committee on investigation Of sena-
torial campaign expenditures, cam
paign activities and the use of Fed
era1 funds to influence primaries and
general elections.
Would Have Permanent Watchdog.
The last would establish a per-
manent committee to act as watch
dog.
1t was proposed, also, that section
310 of the Corrupt Practices Act be
so amended as to prohibit candi-
dates from promising work employ
ment, money or other benefits in
connection with public relief. and
that section oil, title 18, of the U.
8. Code be so amended as to prohibit
contributions by Federal employees
not only to any member of Congress
but to any candidate or any person
or committee acting on behalf of
such candidate.
.. II the committee recommended
tions are favorably considered by
Congress, the Corrupt Practices Act
Of 1925 would be drastically strength
ened, and the participation of Fed
eral officeholders and employees in
political activity would be greatly
curtailed.
Hundreds of complaints were pre-
sented to the committee during the
last campaign. Out of the total
number, 119 required field investi-
CATION. These field investigations
were carried on in 18 States, Ar
kansas, California, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana. Kentucky, Maryland, Mis-
souri,, Nevada, New Jersey, New
York, North Dakota, Ohio. Pennsyl-
vania, South Dakota, Tennessee,
Vermont and Wisconsin. The COM
plants ranged from irregularities in
registration and voting and abuse of
the Senate franking privilege to
excessive expenditures, solicitations
or assessments of Federal employees
by Federal officials and other en-
ployes and the use of Federal funds
in behalf of a senatorial candidate.
The committee laid especial stress
upon what it found in Kentucky,
Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Arkansas,
Illinois and Maryland, in the matter
Of w. P. A. political activity, the use
Of Federal funds, and undue politi-
cal activity on the part of Federal
omcials.
Williams Sharply Criticized.
= Aubrey williams, deputy W. P. A.
administrator and recently ap-
pointed by the President, to be "ad-
ministrator" of the National Youth
Administration, was raked over the
Goals by the committee report. Mr..
Williams speech on June q, 1888,
10 w. P. A. workers in which he
said We've got to stick together.
We've got to keep our friends in
power" was characterized as IAN
unfortunate statement" and the
committee continued:
{ "It believes that where super
yisory official addresses an audience
of the employees under him or COM
posed mainly of such employees, and
urges a certain political line of &C
tion, he uses form of coercion con-
trary to public policy and the spirit
Of our Government"
Taking up the question of the use
OF coercion Of Federal and State en-
ployes In Kentucky, and the solicita-
ton of funds for campaign purposes
from them, the committee report
gives an exhaustive description of
what was done along these lines,
finding that there had been whole
sale abuses on both the Barkley and
Chandler sides.
The committee held, however that
It had found nothing to show that