Evening star., 1940-02-22
Senate Group
Called 10 Act
On Hatch Law
George Committee
To Study Extension
Tomorrow
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The Senate Privileges and Elec-
tons Committee has been called by
Chairman George, Democrat, of
Georgia to meet tomorrow morning
p to act on extension of the Hatch
Act to thousands of State employees
and to the personnel of the Dis
trict government.
The original act, passed last year,
prohibits all except policy making
officers of the Federal Government
from active participation in politi-
cal campaigns. One of its chief
effects has been to prevent district
attorneys, United States marshals
and similar appointees from serving
as delegates to national conven-
tions.
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico is now proposing to place
similar limitations on all employees
of State governments who are paid
in whole or in part from Federal
loans or grants.
AS chairman of a special sub
committee, he is ready to lay before
the committee tomorrow a redraft
OF the bill, which approaches the
question by authorizing Federal
agencies to withhold Federal funds
from any State agency in which
employees are found taking active
part in political campaigns.
Rules Amendment.
In order to avoid conflicting in
terpretations by Federal agencies of
what constitutes political activity
the bill has been amended to au-
thorize the Civil Service Commission
to make uniform rules and regula-
tions.
The New Mexico Senator has
agreed to another amendment re-
storing to Federal employees in or
near Washington the right they
formerly enjoyed to serve as mayors
or town councilmen in adjacent
Maryland and Virginia communities
In which they live. The Civil Service
Commission permitted Government
employees to take part in admins
teIing the affairs of these suburban
towns before the Hatch Act was
passed.
Senator Hatch late yesterday came
to the defense of his original law in
reply to the attack made on it
Tuesday night by Howard Bruce,
who is running against Senator
Radcliffe for the Democratic sena-
tofial nomination in Maryland.
In speech at Mount Rainier Mr..
Bruce was quoted as terming the
Hatch Act "cockeyed legislation"
and as a discrimination against the
average man. Said Senator Hatch
in his answer: e.
'It is not my desire to participate
in any way in the primary battles
taking place in Maryland, but the
newspaper accounts quoting Mr..
Bruce show, in my opinion, a COM
plete misunderstanding of the un-
deriving and fundamental purposes
OF the measure he attacks. Espe-
cially I would like to know very
much In what respect any part of
the law discriminates against the
average man OF America"
Party Principles Cited.
Pointing out that the original act
also was designed to keep politics
out of relief, Senator Hatch said:
II believe that funds appropriated
to relieve suffering human beings
should be used for that purpose and
not to build up political machines;
neither do I believe it is 'cockeyed'
to insist that Federal employees gen.
orally attend to the duties for which
they are hired and paid by the
Government rather than to devote
their time and talents to political
activities"
If the legislation is 'cockeyed,
as Mr.. Bruce says" Senator Hatch
continued, then the party to which
he belongs and whose nominee he
seeks to be for the Senate of the
United States advocates 'cockeyed'
legislation, for if Mr.. Bruce will
examine the platform declarations
OF the Democratic party throughout
the years he will find the legisla-
ton he assails is in strict accord
and in absolute harmony with the
principles which our party has long
sponsored and advocated"