Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1945-01-08
POLITICAL
PARADE
BY George
RothweII Brown

n SUBSTANTIAL C OF
"A southern Democrats has
served notice on Hillman's ClO
Political Action Committee.
that with an adequate Republic
can support IL does not propose
that the legislation of the new
18th Congress shall be cleared
with Sidney"
That is the meaning OF the
revolt of the opening day OF
the session which witnessed the
recreation of the old special
committee for the investigation
of un-American activities, as .
regular and permanent House
committee. with a vital power
which the old committee never
had.
Over the protests Of the New
Deal leadership, the House
amended its rules and gave to
a new committee charged with
investigating un-American ac-
tivities In this country an i'm.
PaSshdoAe iooitioii.
ONE of the great weaknesses
" of the old committee lay
in the fact that il was wholly
advisory.
II could-and did-make re-
ports of its findings to the
House. some of them OF a
character which shocked the
conscience of the country.
But beyond this it could not
60. 1t lacked even the power
to recommend. All efforts to
give it stronger status re-
peatedly failed
In the recent political CAM
paign chairman Martin Dies Of
Texas was virtually forced to
retire from Congress. and three
members Of the committee in
all thus were defeated in the
primaries. The C1O claimed a
great victory.
Then in few hours on the
first day of the session the
House demonstrated where the
real power in America lies--in
the Congress Of the United
States.
The House avoided the pitfali
Of merely continuing the old
committee. That would have
been a fatal error, which would
have played directly into the
hands Of the radicals.
TT WAS feared that IL con-
tfnued the committee would
have become either a white
washing body. OF that IL would
have perverted the intent OF
Congress in the character OF its
investigations
Also there was danger that
all the confidential secret docu-
ments, files. reports and papers.
accumulated by the committee
over six-year period. and con-
tanning damaging revelations or
Communist infiltration into the
government service. would pass
into the hands Of a hostile setup.
To avoid this a determined
bloc OF southern Democrats. led
by Representatives Rankin Of
Mississippi and Cox of Georgia.
struck boldly on the opening
day TO create a new committee
TO investigate subversive ac-
tivities, and 10 give IL a wholly
new status as one OF the stand
ing committees OF the House.
The boosted campaign claims
Of the Political Action Commit
tee vanished into thin air. On
roll call vote the House
adopted the amendment 70 the
House rules offered by Mr..
Rankin.
TIiIS -meanS-lhat- the commit
L tee now has the same
standing IN the House as ways
. and means. or appropriations,
or any Of the other major COM
mittees
II will be able 10 conduct
hearings, draft proposed legisla.
ton, report measures, obtain
rules for their consideration.
and write remedial statutes into
the law OF the land.
The left-wing has sustained
its most serious setback, and
this at a time when the PAC
was expecting 10 cash in at the
Capitol on its huge campaign
investments in President Roose-
vclt's fourth term and Demo-
cratic House of Representatives.
The House has adequately re-
flected the determination OF a
great majority of the American
people 10 prevent this country
from being swept Unto the vor-
tex of international communism.
The secret files of the old
committee will remain inviolate.
Let those in key positions in
Washington who dread this do
the sOllirrninC,