Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-06-22
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
Peeler

YESTERDAY I reported that
L the Dies committee had
subpenaed long-distance slips r.
the telephone company whi(
showed that the CLOS Political
Action Committee had been
carrying on conversations with
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and two
OF the Presidents anonymous
political secretaries at the
White House, with Vice Presi-
dent Henry Wallace and his
secretaries. with Attorney Gen.
eral Biddle and with regional
directors of the Farm Security
Administration.
These telephone slips showed
further that c. B. Baldwin. a
New Deal farm bureaucrat
from the beginning of the adj
ministration in 1888, and now
assistant director of the Polit-
ical Action Committee. had tel
ephoned several of his old SUBJ
ordinates in the Farm Security
Administration in regions where
the PAC was opposing the re-
nomination OF congressman and
senators whom il had marked
for defeat. Until recently, Bald
win was chief Of the FSA.
The chairman OF the PAC ia
Sidney Hillman, president of the
Amalgamated Clothing Work.
ers of the Go.
Hilman came TO the United
States in 1907 as Russian ref
ugee from the cars.
LIE HAD preoccspations which
III made II announcement for
him 10 take part in the first
World War. In May. 1910,
President Roosevelt appointed
him to be the labor" member
of the advisory commission OF
the council OF national defense.
Later he was appointed to a po-
sition in the office OF produce
ton management.
A few months ago HillmsH.
allied himself openly with ri
Communists of the Go in New
York in a fight for control Of
the synthetic left-wing political
organization known as the
American Labor party.
The right-wingers fought him
but Hillman and the Conn.,
munists won.
Meanwhile. Hlllmsn. proceed
ing with the organization OF the
CLOS Political Action Commit
tee. had proposed that in New
York State all workers be COM
PEELED 10 join unions and pay q
political income tax 10 the COM
mittee for use in the fourth
term campaign.
IN HIS years IN the farm Sc
i curity administration, Bald
win built an organization within
the government which reaches
into every farm county In the
nation.
It's regional directors we're
r AL DIV in's subordinates, and
would be has subordinates again
should Mr. Roosevelt be re-
elected and should Baldwin care
10 resume the job from which
he has technically resigned.
Practically he is merely on
leave and on loan TO the Go
for the duration Of the cam
palgn and is serving his old
leader. Mr.. Roosevelt.
The long distance calls dis
covered by the Dies committee
were not personal calls They
were official calls made from
the headquarters OF the PAC
and charged 10 the committee.
The Go, for its own part.
insists that the PAC is graz
tuitous and independent organi-
zatlon. unconnected with the,
Roosevelt party and an limo (
cent expression Of "laborS'S
political devotion 10 the RooSe-
veltS. Wallace and the New
Deal.
Mr.. BIDDLE. one of those
WI who was called by long dis
lance from the PAC's head
quarters, has gwen an opinion
that It's educational activities
are legitimate and contrary 10
no law. although thus far II has
raised 100000 for the fourth
term campaign, has access 10
millions more, and IS campaign
ing for him and his chief
throughout the country.
Thus far IT has been notably
successful in the South, where
the Go has little strength but
where Baldwin's regional farm
security bureaus are strongly
influential by reason Of their
economic power over the small
farmers.
The seizure Of the telephone
records was a high-handed OPP
Grafton and Will be protested
by. among others. some Of those
who early in the New Deal JUS
tilted the similar seizure Of all
the kilograms n the telegraph
offices in Washington by Sem
ator Hugo Black Of Alabama. a
member Of the Ku Klux Khan,
who later was sent 10 the Su.
preme Court.
In total effect. the Informal
ton thus obtained. however
questionable the method. plainly
eboute that the ruoIittCaI arti0n