The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-01-27

It has been denounced by the President oS the United states for l1ialicieusly srnearing innocent citizens; its chairman has been scathingly excoriated by other cons gressmen for associating with un- American clements; its reports have been repudiated by its own members: and they themselves have fought like cats and dogs.
 Stranger still, one of Dies most influential forces isn't 8 member of the committee at all. He is J. B. ("Doc') Matthews, reconstructed radical and one-time teacher in faraway Tibet, who has the title of Committee Investigator and draws $6,000.
 It was Matthews who concocted the report hanging the Red label on all consumer organizations ex- cept the one in which he formerly had an interest - @ report that was issued without the consent or knowledge of the committee, ex- cept Chairman Dies, and repudi- ated later.
 The internal mauling is almost unbelievable. There are almost as many factions inside the commit tAe as there are Enenebrs and they make little attempt to conceal their mutual animosity. Newspa. permen, spectators and even witt nesses have been treated to spec tacles of public brawling.
 In view of this internal bick. ering, 1t is nothing short of q miracle that the Dies commit tee has done as we'll as it has. Vnquestionably it has made the public acuteIy aware of un- American activities. Unques. tiOnabIy t has driven some Of tl.ese activities underground.
 But that 1t could have been much more effective had 1t had onc-half the organization of, say. the Senate Munitions Committee. Is the copcensuS of all seasoned Washington observers. CHAIRMAN DIES
 Take 6 bird's-eye view of the committee personnel, and you will get at least some Idea why 1t has the appearance of stephen Lea cocks rider who leaped on his horse and galloped away in all directions.
 Martin Dies, chairman of the committee, has one great political asset, and for . man of S8 scant summers 1t has taken him Q long way. He appreciates the value Of publicity.
 If Martins constituents down in Orange County. Texas, ever decide that he is too hot to send back to Washington, he could make four times his congressional salary as Q public relations expert. The late Ivy Lee. Steve flanagan, and ell the other publicity b!g-shots would seem pikers beside him.
 Dies picks hls witnesses &C., cording to the crop of headlines they csn reep. The testimony
 that will splash the largest amount of printers ink gets I'm. mediate priority with him. That
 is why Martin is now eying HoIIyWeod @ greedily for his next big sensation. Investigator Matthews has filled him with
 hOvFendous tales of Reds in the movie colony, and Martin can
 hardly wait until he stlrs up the
 headlines.
 Dies also hes a showman's sense in picking the appropriate time to stage Q congressional spectacle seldom has he started c hear- ing when Congress was in session. That would give him too much competition. He waits until he can have the stage alone.
 While grabbing for the head. lines is not new with congress sional committees, Dies carries 1t to such an extreme that he jumps from witness to witness before he hes dug out half the hidden facts. Instead of . painstakine and thorough record such as prepared by the LaFollette Civil Liberties Committee. Dies has left behind him a trail oe blurred headlines, sensational. but giving birth to no corrective legislation.
 DIES SATELLITES
 Second in command of the com- nlttee is yoe StaFnes of Alabama. Joe Is 45 against Dies S8. and therefore jealous. Never can Joe. try aS he may, obtain the news