Evening star., 1942-03-30
Vaughan Threatens
To Sue Dies for
Red Front Charges

Economic Worfore Boord
Chief Denies Membership
In League for Peoce
Earlier Story on Page AID
David B. Vaughan, chief ad-
ministrative officer of the Board
Of Economic Warfare, this after
noon threatened suit for libel
against Chairman Dies of the
House Committee on Un-Ameri-
can Activities, who named him
as one of lat least IS high ON
cials" of the board connected
with Communist front groups.
Declaring that he was never
member or sponsor Of the American n
League for Peace and Democracy.
as charged Sunday by Mr. Dies, Mr.
Vaughan said
Il am making inquiries through
my attorney to see whether Mr.. Dies
statement is privileged II it is not,
I will ask that action be instituted
against Mr Dies for libel,
Mr. Vaughan said that he belongs
Ito three organizations and only
three'-the Methodist Church, So
ciety for the Advancement Of Man
agement and Society for Personnel
Administration. The societies are
professional groups.
Meanwhile. Chairman Dies was
both criticized and defended at the
Capitol
Representatives Cox. Democrat, of
Georgia and Mason. Republican. OF
Illinois attacked the employment by
the board of Maurice Parmelee as
principal economist and said Mr..
Dies charges against him were
amply supported Mr.. Dies said
the IS had been connected with
Communist Front jobs and demand
ed their removal from their jobs
Vice President Wallace immedi-
ately issued a statement describing
the Dies charges as worthy OF hav-
ing been made by an Axis propa-
gandist.
Representative Voorhis, Democrat,
of California. a member of the Dies
group told the House that 50 far
as ne knew the letter was made
public before Mr.. Wallace had seen
ii and before committee members
were discussed.
He said such matters should not
be given to the press until the
members OF the committee. know
what in heck is going on" He said
he had for some ting c6ntended
for more orderly procedure in is
suance OF statements from the COM
mittee and had advocated 1t hold
regular meetings. but so far it hash t
made much difference"
Calls Procedure Unfair.
Before anything like this was
! done" he continued. referring TO the
Wallace-Dies exchange, the men
named by Mr. Dies should have been
called before the committee TO de-
termine what Is basically true"
A public stand should be taken. he
added, only after the heads of agen-
cies involved had been given an op-
portunity TO act and had failed TO
act.
1T isn't fair to make an accusation
like that until the facts are known,
and as member OF the committee
I want TO have something to say"
he added
Representative O'Connor. Demo-
crat, OF Montana, told the House the
present was the wrong time to renew
| crusades against Communism.
OF course. We have Communists
in our country" he said. but if
they're fighting our fight" they
should not be chased out.
Warns House Of Action.
The Montanan warned that un-
less the House leadership took steps
to prevent House committees from
acting In such way as TO promote
disunity. some 40 or So members
of the House would act themselves.
Mr.. O'Connor did not explain the
threat. but other members recalled
that although the House has voted
to continue the Dies Committee. it
has not appropriated additional
funds for its operation.
Chairman Cochran of the Ac-
counts Committee said that as far
/ as he was concerned, there would
be no meeting to consider how
much to give the Dies Committee
until two weeks from tomorrow as
he had called one meeting for that
purpose but since Mr.. Dies was out
of the city, the meeting had to be