Evening star., 1941-09-26
investigator Hunts
Eight Bags Missing in
Nazi Agent Inquiry
II Others Recovered
From Headquarters Of
America First Group

William Power Maloney, special
assistant to the Attorney General
said today that 20 sacks Of material
were removed last Friday from
headquarters of Prescott bennett,
secretary of Make Europe Pay War
Debts Committee, shortly after Mr.
bennett had been summoned before
grand jury investigating suspected
Nazi agents. Twelve of these bags,
he declared, were recovered yester-
day by subpoena, from Offices of the
America First Committee in differ
ent part of the city. This left eight
bags unaccounted for-contents un-
known All of the bags were reported
removed before the issuance of the
subpoena.
Mrs. Bennett Champ Clark. WASH
ington chairman of the America
First Committee, said the material
taken from her group was Just
franked speeches by various Sem
ators," and she charged that Mr.
Maloney was trying to stir up a
hornets nest as part of great ma
tional smear campaign"
Despite the material subpoenaed
from her group. Investigator Malo-
ney said the grand jury still has only
very sketchy records" of Mr.. Den
nett's organization. He has de-
clared that known German agents"
contributed to Mr.. Dennetts COM
mittee.
House Truck Used.
In New York, Representative
Hamilton Fish, Republican, said
that his second secretary, George
Hill, had sent a House of Repre-
sentatives truck to Mr. Dennett's
office, and this truck picked up a
large number of heavy bags
The truck was dispatched. Mr..
Fish told The Star by telephone.
when Mr.. bennett called up Mr.. Hill
and said he had 500 speeches by the
Representative, speeches two or
three months old.
I'VE could use those here. If you
don't need them" Representative
Fish quoted Mr.. Hill, and the truck
was sent off. 1t came back, according
to Mr.. Fish, loaded with sacks ad-
dressed to the America First Com
mittee. Mr.. Hill rejected the whole
cargo, telling the truck driver to
take the lot over to America First,
Mr.. Fish related At no time, he
said, were any sacks stored in his
Office, and he did not even receive
his own 500 speech copies.
Mr.. Fish emphasized that he be-
longed to neither of the isolationist
groups involved and said he has not
seen or communicated with Mr.. Den
nett in over year.
Under Oath of Secrecy.
Mr.. bennett declined to make ex-
tended comment today, on the
ground that he is under oath OF
secrecy to the grand jury. His at
torney, o. H. Osterman, said he did
not know of anything being removed
from his clients Office, except some
papers, including franked senatorial
envelopes, given up voluntarily to
the grand jury early this week.
Mr.. bennett said he could not re-
cali definitely if 20 bags were re-
moved from his Office last Friday.
my recollection was that some
things were taken out before that
day." he said. BY things" he indi-
Gated he was referring to some
franked congressional speeches.
Mrs. Clark, wife of the Senate's
isolationist leader from Missouri.
said she had talked with her hus-
band by long distance phone last
night and he thought the situation
was "one of the screwist imagin-
able"
She said she did not know who
delivered the sacks of material to
her organization.
I'VE understood they came from
some Congressman-as Is a daily
practice-and accepted them be-
cause they had the prestige of mail
bags" she said. I'VE looked In
one or two sacks and saw they con-
tanned franked speeches. 1t Is our
practice to address these and send
them back to the Capitol for mail
ing.
Never Heard of bennett.
ut makes me mad to have some
two-by-four fellow in the Justice
Department try to be a big shot," the
Senator's wife declared. There is
nothing about the America First
Committee that is not strictly on
the up and up. never even heard
Of bennett until yesterday"
Assistant Attorney General Wen
dell Berge asked that it be made
clear the Department Of Justice did
(See DOCUMENTS, Page A-230