Evening star., 1944-05-21
A. P. Photo.

Of Justice investigate what he called
fragrant violations" of the criminal
provisions of the Federal Corrupt Prac-
tices Act as amended by the Smith
Connally law.
In this brief article, Murray bitterly
denounced the growing reactionary
trend" of the present Congress evi-
denced by "the most vicious and contin-
uous attacks ever made on labor and
labor's rights" The Congressman re-
sponsible, he continued, included Demo-
Gratis as well as Republicans.
ut makes us dread to think" he
wrote. what might happen If such men
should be in control when the terrific
problems of the wars end arise. The
Political Action Committee will work to
prevent the reelection of men like
these"
In an outline of the committees pro-
gram he said:
"Our first step will be a drive for
registration Of voters for all local and
national elections in 1914. In this we
start with nucleus Of 100000 C1O
members and their families total Of
perhaps $4,000, 900. OF course, we do not
expect all these to vote the same way
the CIO has no dictatorial character
istics-but the vast majority Of our
membership holds to similar liberal po-
litical principles.
Opposed to Isolationism.
"Our first objective, of course, is to
win the war, and then to cooperate
generously with our Alnes-Britain,
Russia and China-in building better
world. We are opposed to both isola-
tionism and American imperialism"
Reporting on the investigation, At
torney General Biddle told Smith that
the FBI had examined the records and
correspondence OF the CIO and the
Political Action Committee and had in
terviewed officials Of the committee.
After quoting the pertinent provisions
Of the Corrupt Practices Act as amend
ed last June he said that for the pur-
pose Of his letter he was proceeding on
the premise that Political Action Com
mittee Is political committee and that
the international unions which had con-
tributed to 1t were labor organizations
as defined by the statute.
He pointed out that another section
Of the act provided that it is limited to
general or special elections; Is not ap-
plicable to primary elections or conven-
tions Of political parties, and that con-
tributions in connection with State elec-
tions in State campaigns are not covered
by the act.
Up to the time of the investigation,
he continued, the only contribution
made by the committee was about SIS
600 to the campaign for campaign for
the governorship of New Jersey-a con-
tribution not prohibited by the Federal
law.
Biddle quoted part of letter which
he said Chairman Hillman had sent to
all regional directors, which said:
II want at this time, however, to call
to your attention the necessity of scrut-
inizing all expenditures of your Office to
make certain that they are made in
strict conformity with all of the pro-
visions of the law, and particularly with
the requirements of the Smith-Con
nally Act"
Biddle observed that certain express
sions" in the Murray article might be
subject to the construction that in the
future action might be taken which
would not conform to the provisions of
the Federal statute" but that mo such
illegal action has been discovered"
Substantially the same findings were
Continued on Page C-3, Column 81