Evening star., 1944-11-05
Mrs. Murray Seeks
u. ). Probe in Smiths
Expense Testimony
Virginia Representative
Coils Opponents Charges
Silly and Childish

Mrs. Elizabeth Chiffon Murray,
Independent Democrat candidate
opposing Representative Smiths bid
for reelection from the Eighth
Virginia district, requested the JUS
tice Department yesterday to inves-
tigate testimony given by Mr.. Smith
Thursday before a House Campaign
Expenditures Subcommittee on his
campaign expenses.
Justice Department officials said
the letter was received by the de-
partment's criminal division and lis
being looked into"
In her letter, addressed to At
torney General Biddle, Mrs. Murray
wrote:
"It appears to me as a layman
that Howard Smith did him
self violate the Corrupt Practices
Act and / feel that appropriate ac-
tion should be taken"
Mr.. Smith described the change
as silly and childish"
Mrs. Murray said In the letter
that Mr.. Smith reported to the
House clerk October 2S that he, had
made no campaign expenditures as
Of that date.
Small Contribution Cited.
She asserted, however, that dur
ing Thursdays hearing, the Repre-
sentative stated he had made an
extremely small contribution to
the campaign treasurer of Char
lottesville on October 26, two days
before his sworn statement.
Mrs. Murray also quoted Mr..
Smith as admitting during the hear
ing that he had made commitments
to "underwrite portion of the cam
paign expenses in Arlington County
and to underwrite all the expenses
of headquarters in Alexandria.
The implication at the hearing was
that these commitments were quite
heavy"
Her opponent has failed to make
any campaign for the National can
didates of the Democratic party,
Mrs. Murray said in her letter, and
''it appears logical that these ex-
penditures could only have been
made in his own behalf and that
the commitments were made prior
to his sworn statement to the Clerk
of the House"
Smith Explains Gift.
In denying Mrs. Murray's charges,
Smith explained last night that his
contribution to the Charlottesville
campaign treasurer was made to
further the National Democratic
campaign, not his own.
He added that his commitments in
Arlington County and Alexandria
were made after his statement of
expenditures on October %.
Mrs. Murray also took occasion in
her letter to deny alleged charges by
Mr.. Smith that she is being sup
ported by Communists and radicals.
She said that to assail her hackers
in this manner is a deliberate
and malicious lie."
In addition, Mrs. Murray pointed
out that Vice President Wallace re-
Gently denounced the Smith, Con-
nally Act of which Mr.. Smith is one
of the authors and called for its
repeal.
"The most respected leaders of
the Democratic party" Mrs. Mur-
ray asserted, ARE opposing Howard
Smith because he has betrayed the
Democratic voters of the 9th dis
trict and because he is deliberately
setting class against class :"
Earlier, Representative Gathings,
Democrat, of Arkansas, who con-
Quoted Thursdays hearing, said he
would report to his full committee
his belief the CIO Political Action
Committees employment of two
workers in the 9th district was ille-
gal.
The hearing was informed that
Willie Arnhein, former official of
the AFL Hod Carriers Union, and
Mrs. Mercedes Speir. Richmond,
each received $65 a week and travel
ing expenses from the PAC.