Evening star., 1944-06-13
.HiIIman Denies
.CI0Conln1ittee
Has 'Purgelist'
Insists Law Does Not
Prohibit Work for
Fourth Term
BY j. A. O'LEARY.

by y. "A. " OLEAn1 Il.
Denying that the CIO Politi-
cal Action Committee has any
purge list" of candidates, Sid
ney Hillman, it's chairman, told
the Senate Campaign Expendi-
lures Committee today his group
has Endorsed only one person.
President Roosevelt for a fourth
term.
In congressional and local elec-
is left to local organizations. Mr..
Hillman insisted, but he added that
local units of the CIO consult the
Political Action Committee on the
problems of Endorsement
The CIO committee has been under
fire from Republican leaders. who
have charged that its activities are
in violation of the Corrupt Practices
and Hatch Acts. The committee
recently was given a clean bill of
health by Attorney General Biddle.
who reported that an investigation
had uncovered no violations of the
acts by the committee
Application to Primaries Denied
Mr. Hillnan declared he Is satis-
fed the law against labor union
campaign contributions does not ap-
ply to primaries, or to advocating
the denomination of President
Roosevelt before the Democratic
convention is held.
Both Mr.. Hillman and John j.
Abt, attorney for the CIO group,
took this position when Senator
Ball, Republican, of Minnesota ques-
toned the Political Action Commit
tees activity in support of a fourth
term, in view of the provision writ
ten into the Smith, -Connally anti
strike law, placing labor unions un-
der the same ban that prohibits cor
portations from contributing to po-
litical campaigns.
S669,764 Fund Raised.
Defending the legality of the
1869 ,764 fund raised by the COM
mittee to date. of which s189.112
has been spent. Mr. Hillman de-
manded that the committee also
investigate the organizations repr-
senting big business and high
finance"
Our committee has nothing to
hide. continued the labor leader.
I'VE have no concealed aims, no
hidden purpose If there is to be
an investigation, let it be full, fair
and complete. Let it include not
only the activities of labor, but the
less publicized, the more obscure
efforts of some of the representa-
tives of big business and high
finance.
Let it include such organizations
as the Committee for Constitution
al Government, the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers and its
most of subsidiaries and satellites,
political activities of a few men OF
great wealth and, yes, the Repub-
lican and Democratic parties as
we'll
If political work is to be con-
ducteed uder kleig hghts-as we
believe it should-then let the light
shine equally on all. Let no indi-
vidual and no organization remain
in shadow
Third Party Plan Denied.
Mr. Hillman said the Political
Action Committee is "a nonpartisan
organization" and has no purpose to
establish third party at this time
Nor are we an appendage of
either major political parties. We
are prepared to and do give our
support to candidates on the basis
of their records, without regard to
party labels"
The witness said the committee
has three goals, namely, to stimu-
late discussion of the campaign is
sues; to educate the people to use
their vote by registering, and.
finally ito bring to the American
people the record of the candidates
who solicit their support, to enable
them to use their ballot intelligently
and effectively.
To this end we carefully examine
the background, the voting records
and the promises, kept and unkept,
of the persons who present them
selves to the people as candidates
for Office. We keep our regional
directors fully advised as to the
results of this examination and they
in turn inform the local CIO or
ganizations State councils and local
unions"
At the outset Senator Ball sought
permission to question Mr.. Hillman
before he read his statement, but
Chairman Green decided the state
ment should be read first.
Satisfied About Law.
we are quite satisfied the Smith
Connally law does not apply until
people are nominated" Mr. Hillman
testified Mr.. Hillman added that he
knew that after the nominations
are made certain activities would be
covered. We believe it is unfair to
labor, but we will live up to it."
Il have no quarrel with what you
are doing" Senator Ball told the
labor leader, but l think you ought
to go join the Democratic party and
do it as individuals. and not with
union dues. Your activities are per-
fectly proper political activities, ex-
cept for this provision of the Smith
Connally Act
Mr. Eillman replied that the law
specifically applies to election cam
paigns ana not to primaries or con-
Vention.
Looking ahead to the situation
that may exist after the national
Mr.. Hillman said his
group had been hoping against hope
that both parties would have con-
(See HILLMAN, Page A-5D