Evening star., 1941-09-29
Fish Plans 10 See
Justice Official in
Mail Bag Incident
House Member Declares
His Office Did Not
Accept Socks

Representative Fish Of New York
said this morning he will talk with
Assistant Attorney General Wendell
Berge today to clear up confusion
about mail bags now lying outside
Mr.. Fish's storage room in the New
House once Building. The Justice
Department has indicated the sacks
may contain material which the
department wishes to present to
grand jury investigating suspected
unregistered Nazi agents.
Mr.. Fish emphasized that the mail
bags and their contents--which in
clude franked envelopes, isolationist
literature and other material-are
not his. They have never been ac-
cepted by his ONCE, he asserted, and
therefore he cannot issue an invita-
ton" for Justice Department agents
to come and get them. But for his
own part, Mr.. Fish said, he doesn't
care who comes and hauls them
away.
Similar Bags Subpoenaed.
The Justice Department previous
ly indicated it would seize the ma
terial if questions of congressional
privilege and immunity were not
involved. Similar sacks found in
the possession of the America First
Committee headquarters, 1875 c
street NE, were subpoenaed, off,
cials said.
Department officials contend that
the sacks originally were among 20
which they say vanished 10 days
ago from the office of Prescott Den
nett, chairman Of Make Europe Pay
War Debts Committee, 1890 Rhode
Island avenue NV, shortly after
Mr.. Dennet was subpoenaed to ap-
pear as a grand jury witness. Mr.
Dennetts committee has received
contributions from known German
agents. it was asserted by William
Power Maloney, heading the in
quiry as special assistant to the At
torney General.
Mr.. Fish's office said no member
of his staff ever ordered the bags
to be placed outside the Representa-
tives storage chamber George Hill
second secretary in the office, did
send q House truck to Mr.. Dennett's S
headquarters-with instructions to
pick up only 500 speeches, it was
said. The truck came back loaded
with sacks. and Mr.. Hill refused to
accept delivery, Representative Fish
asserted.
Plans Address in House.
The New York legislator said he
would seek opportunity in the House
today to deliver an address charging
that smear campaign" is being
directed at him, particularly by one
New York and one Washington
newspaper
In regard to the franked speeches
which the Department of Justice
claims were in Mr.. Dennett's possess
sion, Representative Fish made the
comment that he thought no COM
mittee has many of his speeches.
Several months ago I issued
orders that no group was to be given
my material in bulk" the House
member said. Perhaps two or three
copies at a time have been sent out
since then to committees taking a
stand on the war issue. I have been
in military service most of the recent
period, and I think no material in
bulk was sent out even from my own
Office
Post Office Department officials
said no abuse of the use of the frank
has come to their attention in the
bennett case, and no investigation
is now under way or being consid-
cred. Little could be done if an
abuse were called to the attention
of the department, it was said, since
no penalty is attached to its misuse
by member of House or Senate.
TITS matter for Congress to take
care Of" one official commented.