Evening star., 1947-07-23
Ferguson Urges Clark
To Help Clear Way
For Senate Vote Probe
BY the Associoted Press

Senator Ferguson, Republican,
Of Michigan said today that "in
justice to himself" Attorney
General Clark ought to help clear
the way for a senatorial, investi-
cation into his handling of Kan
sas City vote fraud charges.
Senator Ferguson's call for break
in the solid Democratic opposition
which has, stalled Senate action on
a pending inquiry resolution came
on top of these other developments
in the controversy:
/. Senator Hatch, Democrat, of
New Mexico labelled as politics" a
charge by Republican National Com
1pittee Chairman Carroll Reece that
the opposition party's '"frenzied
efforts" to prevent an inquiry offer
conclusive evidence of Democrat
desperation on the eve of the 1948
presidential campaign
LANCER Defends Clark.
2. Senator LANCER. Republican. of
North Dakota, defended Mr.. Clark S
action In the Kansas City case.
shouting to the Senate that If a
Federal Gestapo from Washington
runs elections, we will soon have the
same control over elections as they
have in foreign countries"
3. With the Republican leadership
still stymied in its efforts to get
Senate action on the inquiry reso-
luton sponsored by Senator KEN,
Republican, of Missouri; Repre-
sentative Ploeser, Republican, OF
Missouri, stood ready to introduce
a similar proposal in the House
where Republican control is such
that it. could force speedy action.
Senator KEN has sought a special
committee investigation OF Mr..
Clark's order for a preliminary in
ouiry into vote buying charges IN
the 1946 Democratic primary in
which Enos A. Axtell won the fifth
Missouri district congressional NOM
nation. Mr.. AxteH, supported by
President Truman. later was de-
feated by Representative Reeves, a
Republican.
Mr.. Clark first reported no evi-
dence was found of Federal law vlo-
lations. Later he appointed special
prosecutor who obtained the indict-
ment OF five persons.
Says Clark Should Act.
Senator Ferguson told a reporter
this subsequent action indicated
there was something there all the
time and the Attorney General
should have known it."
In justice to himself the Mich
igan Senator added, "the Attorney
General ought to ask the Democrats
to drop their opposition to this in
vestigation. He ought to have the
chance to defend himself on the ac-
cusations that have been made
against him"
Senator Hatch said he thinks it
would be a waste of time to 60 over
again the inquiry into Mr.. Clark
actions already conducted by a
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
which Senator Ferguson headed.
Tn my judgment, the case has
already been thoroughly investigated
so far as the Attorney General is
concerned and there is no reason to
believe anything more would be de-
veloped," the New Mexico Senator
said.
Politics Laid to Reece.
Senator Hatch said Mr.. Reece was
''only talking politics when the Re-
publican chairman contended in a
statement last night that "a full
revelation of conditions in Kansas
City would very seriously impair
wha tever chances Mr.. Truman
might have for election next year"
j.. Mr.. Reece said Mr.. Truman's
election to the Senate in 1884 and
1910 was made possible only by the
fantastic returns from the four
Pendergast wards in Kansas City"
He alluded to the Pendergast po-
litical organization of which he said
Mr.. Truman "is a ues-paying men,
ber"
Senator LANCER told the Senate
yesterday that he believes the Kan
sas City election was corrupt. rot
ten, crooked and un-American." But
he said the State of Missouri and
not the Federal Government ought
to investigate it.
He added that Mrs. Clark had
issued the identical orders for a
preliminary investigation as have
been issued in every other primary
election case" investigated by the
Justice Department under Mr.. Clark
and three predecessors.
Senator LANCER, who voted against
KEN resolution in committee and