Evening star., 1944-08-28
.HiIlnlan Insists
PACIs0beying
Election Laws
Desire to Capture
Any Party Denied
At House Hearing
BY the Associated Press.

Sidney Hillman told House In
vestigators today his CIO Politi-
cal Action Committee is obeying
the laws in the campaign, doesn't
wish to capture" any party, but
proposes to "get out the vote"
because it has faith in the judg-
ment OF most Americans.
Mr.. Hillman, testifying before tho
Anderson committee set up to in
vestigate 1914 campaign expenses
and practices, asserted:
I'VE are not an appendage of
either major political party = . nor
have we any desire to capture either
party ." We seek to influence
thinking, the program and the
choice of candidates.
I'VE know that when enough
Americans vote, they will vote right;
that their collective judgment will
prove to be sound judgment"
Concerned Over Drop in Vote.
Mr. Hillman said that is why his
organization urged a simple Fed
eral ballot" for the armed services,
supported legislation to eliminate
the poll tax and is campaigning to
register every eligible vote.
1T is not our concern how they
register he added. I'VE are con-
cerned with the decline in the total
vote from 50.00O,0 900 in 1910 to g..
900 900 in 1912"
Asserting that the PAC had been
given credit" for the defeat of "a
number of reactionary candidates
who were rejected by their own
constituents" in this years pri-
maries, Mr.. Hillman commented:
Frankly, we have no great in
terest where the credit lies. We are
concerned with results and in our
view the results have been good"
The reference apparently was to
the defeat of Representatives
Starnes of Alabama and Costello Of
California, both Democrats opposed
by the CIO.
Purge List Denied.
Mr.. Hillman said the PAC wants
to elect the Roosevelt Truman
ticket and progressive Congress"
1t will not indorse senatorial, con-
gressional, State or local candidates,
he asserted. adding:
That is the job Of the local voters
and their organizations. We have
no purge list. either public or secret"
He SAID financial aid would be
given the national Democratic
ticket. .-e-.
| Answering criticism that the CIO
may be violating the laws forbidding
contributions by labor unions, the
witness described the PAC workings
this way:
The original PAC was purely a
labor organization. It collected
$671 ,214 from the unions and spent
1871 ,086 of which rs per cent was
for salaries. travel and other ex-
penses. The PAC spent $67 800 in
primaries and State elections.
Says Fund Was "Frozen."
The PAC "froze" the labor union
contribution fund as Of July % until
after the presidential elections, Mr..
Hillman said, to comply with the
"strictest Interpretation" of the
Corrupt Practices Act. An "indi-
vidual contribution" fund has been
set up. not within the purview Of
labor unions, he continued, and this
will be used to bear campaign ex-
penses meanwhile. That fund totals
s56, 1922, he told the committee.
Thus. Mr.. Hillman said. the en-
tire setup is far below the original
goal of $l,50O0O0 and considerably
less than the $4,000, 900 published re-
ports said the CIO intended to
spend.
Saying 'SWe do believe we should
not be made the exclusive object Of
governmental inquiry" Mr.. Hillman
suggested that the committee also
inquire into activities of the Anti
New Deal American Democratic Ma
tional Committee. Gerald L. X.
Smiths America First Party, Frank
Gannett's Committee for Constitu-
tional Government. Inc; the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
and others.
I'VE think that these organiza-
tions are overripe for inquiry" he
said.
Smith to Be Queried.
Mr. Anderson commented that
the investigators would ask Mr..
Smith tomorrow morning by let
ter where he gets his financial
backing.
Under questioning, Mr.. Hillman
said the PAC made mo contribu-
tions" toward the defeat of Mr..
Starnes. Mr.. Costello or Represen-
tative Kleberg, Democrat, of Texas,
nor to the congressional campaigns
in Missouri, South Carolina, the
Chicago area or in the 10Th Mich
igan district about which the House
committee has received some in.
formal complaints.
Asked about reports that the PAC
seeks a 100000 campaign fund,
Mr.. Hillman said I'VE couldn't pos
sibly use that much money"
Representative Brown, Republi-
can, of Ohio noted that Mr.. Hillman
urged the "twn-n ma rtv svstey,on and