The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-01
A Thought for Today
Don Ouixote Rides Again

u. S. Attorney General Francis Biddle
may be likened these days to somewhat
obviously victorious Don Quixote whose
success results from his ability to charge
windmillS which have already been blown
down by preceding storms.
First there was the Montgomery Ward
affair which took on the aspects of two
fighters, one with a horseshoe in his
glove, referee Biddle stepped in, counted
out the loser and revealing a virtuoslty
of esoterism pointed out that there was
good reason for the horseshoe - some
thing to the effect that the losing oppo-
nent weighed more at fighting time than
when the contract had been signed.
Now along comes Harrison E. Spangler
chairman of the Republican National
Committee who asks Attorney General
Biddle if the CLIO. Political Action Com
mittee's activities aren't fragrant and
bold violation" of the Corrupt Practices
and Hatch Acts. It seems that Sidney
Hillman head of the Political Action Com
mittee has stated that his group has
received donations amounting to over
$3.50, 900, and expected to reach into the
millions, to be used in political humping
for a Fourth Term. In addition, Mr.. Hill
man, according to the F. B. l., says Mr.
Spangler, has admitted receiving dona-
tions of 100000 each from separate
labor organizations.
All this is against the law, according
to Mr. Spangler He points to the Cor
rupt Practices Act which states that 1T
shall be unlawful for any corporation or
labor organization to make contr1bu-
tion in connection with the election OF
President, Vice-president or member OF
Congress.
The Hatch Act says that lit is hereby
declared to be perniciouS political activity
for any person, committee, association,
corporation of any other organization to
make contributions directly or indirectly
in an amount in excess of $4,000 in con-
nection with any election campaign"
Mr.. Spangler now has asked Mr.. Biddle
how come? It is not a smear effort by
the Republican chairman against the
Political Action Committee: he merely
wants to know if it won't be all right
under the same terms for group OF
Republican small business men and farm
groups to start a political action cam
paign of their own-coStS of which would
be derived from members, stockholders
and the general Golfers. Of course the
latter program would head in the op-
posite direction from Mr.. Hillman'S-
but its the principle of the thing which
Mr.. Spangler is asking Mr.. Biddle to de-
fine.
We don't know whether or not Mr.. Bid
die likes such principles. A principle
ran be a most embarrassing thing and
as big as balloon-eSpecially when your
own boss is mixed up in the middle OF 1t.
we look forward to his subsequent ruling.
ut will have to be adroit and facile-and
pleasing to all. 1t would make mess
of bookkeeping for the Political Action
Committee if it has to give back all that
money at this date and isn't permitted
to save even enough for a trip to the
Chicago convention.
The whole matter has many aspects.
1t has been stated that the AL. Or
carnations in many towns join with the
CLIO. in backing the Political Action
Committees candidates. This is true up
in Torrington where recently the two
groups endorsed the one union candl-
date for Congress These two groups
have never been over-friendly with each
other and perhaps would be more COM
Portable if the present Set-up could be
discontinued with no embarrassment to
both.
Anyway we will wait for the Attorney.
General to sharpen up his lance and
saddle his charger. We fear however
that this windmill may prove to be one
electrically equipped and possessing ter
Eific kick-back qualities from all dlrec-