Evening star., 1940-03-15
Still q Good Bill

piece OF legislation, even with the
amendments its opponents have sue
ceeded in putting through the Sem
ate, and friends of the measure
should stick to their fight until 1t is
sent to the White House for
signature.
Following adoption yesterday of
the Bankhead $4,000 limit on the
amount any individual may con-
tribute to a campaign fund, Capitol
corridors buzzed with speculation as
to whether the measure would ever
get through both Houses.
Senator Hatch, the author of the
BILL explained that he voted against
the $4,000 limitation on all contribu-
tors only because he believed it was
offered for the purpose of antago-
nizing the Republicans, who have
stood almost solidly for the measure.
While 1t Is not likely to prevent Sem
ate passage, if the opportunity for a
final vote Is granted, there is real
danger that the amendment may
cause the bill to be sidetracked in
the House.
But the mere inclusion of the
Bankhead amendment would be a
slender excuse, indeed, for not pass
ing this bill, which seeks only to
apply the same ban against political
activity by State employees paid from
Federal funds that already has been
imposed on Federal workers. Despite
all the oratory over invasion of State
rights during two weeks of Senate
debate. the simple fact remains that
the bill is merely q declaration by
the Federal Government that it will
not sanction use of the money it
gives the States for the kind of
political activity it already has
banned among its own employees.
Language in the original Hatch
Act, protecting the right of Federal
employees to vote as they please and
to express their opinions on all po-
litical subjects, was placed in the new
bill for State employees yesterday, at
the request of the author, strength
ening the measure against one pos
sible source Of objection.
A glance at the list of contributors
in the 1885 general election, pub
lished by senatorial investigating
committee, shows that while there
were a good many donors of $4,000
or more, the vast majority of con-
tributions were within the $4,000
mark. 1t should be remembered, also.
that the generous givers were not all
on one side of the political fence.
Senator Hatch has insisted
throughout the debate that his bill
is not designed to prevent a public
employe from making a voluntary
contribution, and for that reason it
would have been more orderly pro-
cedure not to inject regulation of
voluntary contributions by private
citizens into this legislation dealing
entirely with Government personnel.
1t would be a mistake, nevertheless,
for the hackers of the Hatch bill to
let this maneuver divert them at the
last moment, when they are on the
eve OF passing the measure.
Assuming the bill gets through the
Senate, it is more than likely it also
would poll majority in the House,
even with the Bankhead amendment,
provided the House gets a chance to
vote on it.
But spring is coming, and in its
wake will follow adjournment fever,
accompanied by the usual legislative
jam. In those circumstances some of
the House leaders may find them
selves tempted to put other business
ahead of the Hatch bill, until it is
too late to act.
If this happens the responsibility
would rest on the Democrats, who
hold full control of the legislative
program, and they should remember
that when President Roosevelt signed
the original Hatch Act to govern
Federal employees he pointed out as
one of its weaknesses the fact that