Evening star., 1942-05-03
Congress Members
Rap Ban on Arnold
Labor Testimony
Biddle Aide, However,
Denies 'MuzzIine' by
Justice Department
BY GOULD LINCOLN.


itol when he refused to permit
Thurman Arnold, Assistant At
torney General in charge of
antitrust cases, to testify before
a House judiciary subcommittee
on legislation dealing with al
legged labor racketeering.
Senators and Representatives said
that never had they heard of a
cabinet officer declining to let an
officer in his department testify be-
fore a congressional committee.
Representative Hobbs, Democrat,
OF Alabama, chairman of the sub
committee and author of one of
the bills before the group, said that
II such a course was to be followed
it would break down the system of
government.
Sees Precedent Set.
"If the Appropriations Committee
was unable to call before it admirals
and generals, we would be sin a bad
way to provide for theeNavy and
the Army" said Mr.. Hobbs. If
that kind of thing can be done in
connection with one committee, it
could be done in all cases"
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of
Montana was scathing in his COM
ment on the Attorney Generals
action.
IT do not believe that any cabinet
officer ought to stifle or prevent
any assistant from giving his per-
sonal views" he said. "I have fire.
quently called on individuals in va
rious Government departments to
come before investigating commit
tees and give their views on bills
that were not departmental bills.
I have never been refused"
Arnold Denies "Muzziing."
In Cleveland, where Mr.. Arnold
addressed the City Club, he denied
yesterday that he had been 'muz-
zled'' by the Attorney Generals
stand.
Il have never been mpzzled by
the Justice Department" Mr.. Arnold
asserted during question-answer
period. Il have always been allowed
to express myself freely on labor
issues and if you don't believe it you
can read the records. No Attorney
General of the United States ever
has given such fair and impartial
support to the antitrust laws as
Francis Biddle."
Attorney General Biddle. in refus-
ing to allow Mr.. Arnold to testify,
said in. letter to Representative
Hobbs, that these are not depart
mental bills. and they involve con-
troversial issues upon which Mr..
Arnold has heretofore expressed
himself"
Senator Wheeler's Stand.
Senator Wheeler said:
"A Government employe should
not be denied freedom of speech
any more than anybody else-any
private individual. The tendency on
the part of the Government at
present to try ito suppress news
papers and to smear individuals who
have not agreed with the Govern
ment policies smaeks of dictatorship
and it will react against the Depart
ment of Justice, just as 1t reacted
against the Department Of Justice
in the days when Mitchell Palmer
was Attorney General during the
last war, and when Harry Daugherty
was Attorney General during the
Harding administration"
Senator Wheeler conducted in
vestigations of the Department OF
Justice under Harry Daugherty, and
was largely instrumental in forcing
his retirement from office, after
Calvin Coolidge had become Presl-
dent.
On March 81, Mr. Arnold, appear
ing before the House Judiciary
Committee. which was then holding
hearings on a bill to register all
labor unions and trade and COM
mercial associations. charged that
labor unions, by their coercive
measures, was injuring business,
particularly small business, the
farmers and the consumers. He told
the committee then that the unions
exploited the farmers, that the
unions packed their membership to
insure the outcome of elections, that
they inpeded transportation, that
they made it impossible to get cheap,
mass production of housing, that
they forced businessmen to employ
useless labor and that they re-
stricted efficient use of men and
machines.
Later at a press conference, At
tornev General Biddle said that Mr.
Arnold's views were not those OF
the Department of Justice, and
complained also Of the timing" OF
Mr.. Arnold's remarks. The issue OF
restrictive labor legislation was then
red hot, with many members OF
Congress demanding that legislation
be enacted.
Testimony He'd vital.
Mr. Hobbs said yesterday that the
committee particularly had desired
to have the testimony Of Mr.. Arnold
on these bills, since they affected
antitrust laws. with which Mr.
Arnold is dealing. Mr.. Hobbs init
mated that he may have something
further TO say about the matter this
week
Senator Austin of Vermont. assist
ant Republican leader of the Senate
and ranking Republican member OF
the judiciary committee, said that
he had never before heard of a
Cabinet officer refusing TO allowSan
assistant in his department TO testify
before Congressional committee
Other members said they thought
that the Attorney Generals action
had caused more sensation than per-
haps would any testimony that
might now have been given by Mr.