Evening star., 1940-01-18
Five Senators Named
To Consider Chances
In Hatch Act
Step Token in Move to .
End Doubts on Voluntary
Campaign Gifts
By J, A, O'LEARY.

BY J. A. OLEARY.
The Senate Privileges and Elec-
tions Committee today appointed q
special subcommittee to consider the
Hatch bills to tighten the law
against soliciting political contribu-
tions from Federal employees and
to bar thousands Of State employees
from being active in political cam
paigns.
One of the bills specifically brings
municipal employees of the District
government under the Hatch Act
of 1899, which already prohibits
Federal workers from engaging ac-
lively in politics.
At the same time the committee
voted to make the customary cam
paign-year recommendation that
the Senate create a special commit
tee of five Senators to keep check
on senatorial elections and on the
campaigns for President and Vice
President.
Hatch Heads Group.
Senator George, Democrat, OF
Georgia, chairman, named the fol-
lowing subcommittee to inquire fur
ther into the two Hatch bills:
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico, chairman, and Senators
Green, Democrat, of Rhode Island;
Austin, Republican, of Vermont and
Nye, Republican, of North Dakota.
Senator George also will serve as
a member of the committee.
Senator Hatch said he would call
the subcommittee after conferring
with the other members, but was
not certain whether formal public
hearings would be necessary.
One reason for creating the sub
committee, Senator Hatch said,
grew out of desire in the COM
mittee to clear up points that exist
as to the right of Federal employees
to make voluntary campaign contri-
buttons.
The Corrupt Practices Act of 1925
prohibits any Federal official or
employe from asking other Federal
workers for political funds, but does
not place the same ban on outsiders.
One of the pending Hatch bills is
designed to prohibit ANY person"
from calling on Federal personnel
for campaign donations.
Legal Views Conflict.
Senator Hatch said he favors
leaving employees free to make vol
untary contributions, but in recent
years conflicting legal views have
been expressed on the subject. An
old ruling by the Attorney Generals
Office held that voluntary contribu-
tions were permissible, but the
Sheppard Senatorial Campaign
Committee, in reporting last year
on the 1888 campaign, raised the
point that no employe could make
even a voluntary contribution, Sen
ator Hatch recalled.
The new subcommittee will en-
deavor to clear up the question,
with a view to safeguarding the
employees from solicitation. Sena-
tor Hatch said he has no objection
to permitting employees to take the
Initiative, provided it can be made
certain that the contribution is
purely voluntary"
1t was indicated that committee
members wanted to go carefully into
the other Hatch bill, which would
apply to all State employees paid
In whole or in part through Federal
aid, the same restrictions against
political activity that were placed
on Federal employees last year.
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah
said at present he is inclined to
believe the bill goes too far in its
application to State personnel, but
wants more time to study it. The
bill seeks to reach State EMPLOYEES
by giving any Federal agency the
right to withhold Federal loans or
grants from a State agency if its
employees are permitted to take ac-
tive part in political campaigns, un-
til the complaint is corrected.
The resolution for appointment of
the regular Senate Campaign In
vestigating Committee will go to
the Audit and Control Committee
before the Senate acts, since it calls
for an appropriation of $4,000 for
expenses.
This committee ordinarily is
chosen by the Vice President, as
presiding officer of the Senate. SEN
ators said today, however, that since
Vice President Garner is in the race
for the Democratic presidential
nomination this year, he undoubt-
edly would delegate the appointing
task, probably to the President pro
tempore, Senator Pittman of Ne
vada.
Comments on Smith Bill,
Commenting today on the bill
offered in the House yesterday by
Representative Smith, Democrat, of
Virginia, to permit Federal and
State employees to continue to take
part in the local affairs and to
hold local Offices in the counties
in which they live. Senator Hatch
repeated that he had no objection
to granting such an exemption to
Federal departmental employees in
Washington who reside in nearby
Maryland and Virginia. Such an
exemption was allowed for nearby
towns under the civil service laws
prior to passage of the Hatch Act
OF 1898.
Informed, however, that the Smith
bill would grant the same exemption
to Federal and State employees
throughout the country to partici-
pate in their local county govern
ments, Senator Hatch said he
wanted to study the bill to make
sure it does not go too far"
Serving notice he would seek an
amendment if other members of
the House did not take action
promptly. Representative Sasscer,
Maryland Democrat, reiterated re-
Gently his opposition to the COM
munity ofice-holding ban resulting
from the act.
When the Hatch Act became op-
erative survey of nearby towns
indicated approximately so local