Evening star., 1944-05-23
South Seen Worried
By Leftist Democrats
Union Slush Funds Disturb
Congress Members

Union Slush Funds Disturb
Congress Members
By Dapid Laurence
Democratic members Of Congress from
the Southern States are very much con-
cerned over the political news they
have been reading lately. For one
thing, they do not like to see the DEM
ocratic party taken over by the Amer
ican Labor party, the Communist
pertv and the so-called Liberal" party.
which was formed recently out Of the
rieht wing Of the American Labor
party. The fact that Earl Browder and
the Communists have indorsed presi-
dent Roosevelt for fourth term and
win now become active In the Demo-
cratic party Is not relished by the
Democrats In the South.
Also it Is apparent that large slush
fund has now been made available for
the left-wing groups to enter the DEM
ocratic primaries and unseat the reg
ular Democrats. Although Congress.
while writing the Smith, Connally law,
adopted provision amending the Fed
eral Corrupt Practices Act so as to pro-
hibit labor unions from making polit-
ical contributions, this has not as yet
cramped the style Of the C1O Political
Action Committee or any other labor
unions.
Bayonet Aids Dues Collection.
Many millions of dollars have been
collected by assessments, membership
dues or otherwise from the labor union
members throughout the country. This
drive is, curiously enough, being as
sisted by the Federal Government tt
self, which Is using the armed forces
Of the United States to compel en-
| ployers at the point Of . bayonet to
accept clauses in union contracts
whereby members of the union cannot
withdraw from such unions once they
join. This helps increase the amount
Of dues collectible by the unions Some
Of the constitutions of the unions do
not permit withdrawal of members, and
there Is no statute which authorizes the
War Labor Board or any other gov
ernmental agency to vitiate labor union
contracts. There really Is no authority
in law either for the maintenance
membership clauses, but the President
feels that he has sufficient power ~
Commander in Chief to use the bay
onet to compel maintenance Of mem.
bership in labor unions.
| The Federal Corrupt Practices Act
was written originally many years ago
by Congress to prevent the use Of slush
funds in political campaigns It was
| aimed at corporations which used COM
| pany funds to influence elections. The
| statute has been very effective in pre-
venting corporate funds from being
| applied to elections. Although indi-
vidual businessmen have made contri-
buttons of q limited nature out Of their
own pockets, corporate funds have
pretty generally been kept out Of the
campaigns because Of the Federal Cor
rupt Practices Act.
Now. under . ruling by Attorney
General Biddle, 1t Is apparent that any
sum spent by corporations or labor
| unions in primary campaigns will not
| result In prosecutions The Federal
Corrupt Practices Act itself defines
election as q general or special cleo
tion," but does not include q primary
| election or convention of . political
| party"
This means that the CIo Political
Action Committee can use its funds to
enter primaries, especially in States
| where the outcome Of a primary else
ton is equivalent to the final ratif-
cation in the autumn election. The
Southern Democrats are the ones who
have the most to fear from the use OF
the CIO Union funds. Already q cam
paign fund of nearly one million dol
lars has been set aside BY labor unions
for political action
| DifiicuIty Of Investigation.
| Congress, Of course. can protect itself
by adopting statute at once to make
the Federal Corrupt Practices Act ap-
ply to primary elections az well as gen.
eral elections, and it would not be
surprising II something OF this sort is
done, though 1t may come only after
. general inquiry by congressional
committee. The resolution is pending,
and doubtless will be passed by the
House very soon.
The difficulty about q congressional
committee investigation is that the ad-
ministration can put rubber-stamp
members into control of the committee.
The usual congressional investigating
committee consists of five members
two Republicans and three Democrats
but, since the Speaker OF the House
appoints whoever the administration
wishes appointed, 1t means that almost
any congressional investigation can be
squelched at the outset. It may be
that Speaker Rayburn, who comes from
a state which is vitally interested in
the CIO Political Action Committee.
may find it desirable to appoint conf
mittee members who are not going to
whitewash the use of slush funds by
labor unions in political campaigns.
but this is the very question which is
now being debated in the cloakrooms on
Capitol Hill.
Eleven years ago when the Roosevelt
Administration came into power. it
talked good deal about driving the
money changers from the temple" 1t
professed high ideals. 1t spoke of
itself as liberal administration. But
1t has turned out to be not q bit dif-
ferent from its Republican predecessors
ready and anxious to use political