Evening star., 1943-07-20
Craven Tells Probers
|FCC Head Warned
Him on Disclosures

T. A. M. Craven, member Of the
Federal Communications Commis-
sion, began testifying today before
a special House committee investi-
eating the agency, despite a warn
ing he said he received from Chair
man Fly of FEC about making any
disclosures.
While willing to talk, Mr.. Craven
insisted that the committee take
full responsibility for any disolos-
ures he was ordered to make while
on the witness stand.
He took the stand after It had
been brought out that William E.
Dodd, jr., one Of the three Govern
ment officials recently under fire in
Congress for alleged connections
with subversive organizations, was
among employees of the FEC receiv-
ing unauthorized Redistribution
salary increases last year.
Wigglesworth Injects Name.
Mr.. Dodd is connected with the
broadcast analyst division of the
FEC. He, along with Goodwin B.
Watson, another employe of this
division, and Robert Morss Lovett,
Government secretary of the Virgin
Islands, will, by congressional de-
cree, be dropped from the payroll
November Is, unless renominated by
the President and confirmed by the
Senate before that date.
Mr.. Dodd's name was injected
into the inquiry by Representative
Wigglesworth, Republican, of Mas
sachusetts, after Committee Counsel
Eugene L. Carey, had placed in the
record the names Of FEC employees
he said were granted unauthorized
salary increases by reclassif1cation
between January /, 1912, and Janu-
ary 81, 1943.
rs that the same Mr.. Dodd two
congressional committees found to
have been connected with organiza-
tions found by the Attorney General
to be subversive?" Mr.. Wigglesworth
asked.
It's the same Mr.. Dodd," replied
Mr.. Carey.
Explains Increase.
The committee counsel then ex-
planned he at first understood the
increase was granted Mr.. Dodd be-
cause he was going to London for
the FEC and his living expenses
there would be greater than in this
country. However, he said, the
State Department refused Mr.. Dodd
visa, but the raise in pay remained
in effect.
Mr.. Dodd's present salary was said
to be $4,000 year.
Earlier in the hearing Chairman
Cox had iptimated that some "un-
usual" developments may be ex-
pected.
The committee yesterday heard
Harry S. Barger, its chief investi-
gator, charge that the War Com
munications Board, which FEC
Chairman James L. Fly heads, re-
quires its employees, contrary to law,
to take an oath not to divulge secret.
confidential or restricted informa-
ton. The oath, he said, is great
departure" from the allegiance
pledge usually required of Govern
ment employees. The oath, he ex-
planned, denies WEB employees of
giving the committee information it
desires.
President Roosevelt already has
instructed Army and Navy person.
mel to deny certain information to
the committee on the ground it's
disclosure would not be in the ma
tional interest.
The committee also was told by Mr..
Carey that Chairman Fly is always
seeking to expand his power and au-
thority," and that FEC is duplicat-
ing in the radio field much work
performed by the Army and Navy
and the Office of War Information.
In addition, he charged that the
FEC manipulated defense appro-
priations in ways that Congress had
not intended and enjoyed Roman
holiday" with $558000 it received
last October.
After the committee had been
shown three letters exchanged be-
tween the War Department and
Chairman Fly which were labeled
confidential" Representative Cox
declared:
"Is Congress to be denied any
thing but what the department
heads decide?"
ut is question whether the dig
nifty of Congress is to be maintained
or spurned," said Mr.. Carey.
Il can't believe Congress wants
this committee to lay down and
submit to the bureaucrats of Wash
ington," declared Chairman Cox,
I'VE must begin now to assert the
authority of Congress. Nothing in
these letters is confidential by any
stretch of the imagination.