Evening star., 1942-01-29
President Gets Bill
Shifting Authority
Over Foreign Agents
Powers Given to Justice
Department; Propaganda
Must Be Labeled

Enforcement of the Foreign Agents
Registration Act is transferred from
the State Department to the Justice
Department under a bill that today
awaited the signature of the Presi-
dent after adoption of conference
report by House and Senate yester-
day.
The legislation, which clarifies
provisions of the 1888 act requiring
agents of foreign principals to re-
gister with this Government, also
forces agents to label their propa-
eanda and extends the registration
requirements to agents whose prop
aeanda is aimed at n-Amerlcan
countries.
The bill was modified by the
House on final passage over the
vigorous protest of Chairman Dies
of the Committee Investigating un-
American Activities, who declared
that there must he an end to this
suicidal policy of coddling the tools
and dupes of foreign powers" The
revision struck out specific mention
of the Communist party, German
American Bund and the hesKyffhauser-
bund on the plea OF the administra-
tion, not to "inflame the interna-
tionsl situation"
Dies Proposal Rejected.
Refusal of the Senate to accept
Dies-sponsored amendments which
the House originally had adopted,
mentioning the Bunds and the Com
munist party. had sent the bill to
conference. The conferees' recon-
mendation for elimination of the
amendments was adopted by voice
vote after Mr. Dies motion to re-
commit the bill was rejected in the
same manner. The Senate then
approved the compromise bill.
Majority Leader Mccormack and
Chairman Summers of the judiciary
Committee led the fight against the
Dies proposals, arguing that it was
unnecessary and unwise to mention
the three organizations.
Have we got any more people
fighting on our side than we need?"
Mr.. Summers asked. IF we are
seeking to kick Russia then there's
mighty good sense in these amend
ments. This is no time for child's
play or play to the galleries"
Mr.. Mccormack insisted that the
original bill covers everybody" and
there was no need to single out the
Communist party and the Bund.
I'VE are at war" the Democratic
leader shouted. This is not the
time to infiame the international
situation that is beneficial to
our beloved country"
But Mr.. Dies protested that the
bill without his amendments fails
to reach the large class Of foreign
agents in this country"
"A fear of displeasing foreign
powers and a maudlin attitude to-
ward fifth >columnists was largely
responsible for the Pearl Harbor in
cident," he charged, and warned
that unless the Government adopts
an alert attitude there will occur on
the West Coast tragedy that will
make Pearl Harbor sink into insig-
nificance."
Mr.. Dies announced that within
week or two he would make public
"a full and complete report on jap
anese espionage and sabotage in this
country showing 'the true attitude
of official Washington toward the
whole fifth column question"
Basis for "Offense" Asked.
"If the Communist Party is sin
cere in its formal declaration that
there Is. no connection between it
and the Soviet Union or any
agency of the Soviet Union, why
should the Soviet Union be offended"
by the amendments? he asked.
Have we come to the time when
we dare not legislate on matters
concerning a domestic organization
because of the fear of displeasing
some foreign dictator?" he demand
ed. Does any one think for a mo-
ment that Stain would tolerate on
Russian soil an American organiza-
ton to promote the principles of
Americanism?"
The administration of the law was
transferred to the Justice Depart
ment to consolidate enforcement OF