Evening star., 1947-05-22
Bv Gould Lincoln

A senatorial investigation of the
Justice Department and Attorney
General Clark-because of the fail
ure, on their part, to probe election
frauds in Kansas City, Mo-, when,
with the blessing of President Tru-
man, former Representative Roger
Slaughter, Democrat, was "purged"
is now in the making.
Republican Senator KEN. who
halls from Kansas City, is the
author of resolution providing for
such an investigation. It has been
referred to the Senate Judiciary
Committee and Chairman Wiley of
that committee has assured Mr.
KEN the resolution will be given
early consideration.
The primary last year In the
Slaughter district aroused intense
interest. Mr.. Slaughter had OPP
posed President Truman in some
legislative matters. The President
supported Enos Axtell, and the PEN
dergast machine, headed by Jim"
Pendergast, nephew Of the late DEM
ocratic boss of Kansas City, tom"
Pendergast, jumped in behind AK
tell. The machine, plus the in
fuence Of Truman support, brought
about the Axtell nomination.
Almost Immediately the Kansas
City Star launched an investigation
and turned up a large number Of
election frauds, which were trans
mitted to the United States Attorney
and to Attorney General Clark.
Then the House Special Committee
to Investigate Elections took hand
1t, too, reported that there had been
grave irregularities. But Attorney
General Clark and the Justice De-
partment took no action, other than
to have a report made by the FBI.
Sent Letters to Clark.
When Mr.. KEN came to Wash
ington in January to take his Sen
ate seat, he wrote to Attorney Cen
eral Clark and asked why the de-
partment had done nothing. The
Attorney General replied that he
had had the whole matter looked
into; that there was no ground for
Federal prosecution; that the in
vestigation made by the FBI showed
this to be a fact. Senator KEN
wrote second time to the Attorney
General and received a similar reply.
So MIR. KEN, unwilling to let the
matter die, has proposed a senatorial
investigation.
The whole matter has been given
new life from the fact that the local
authorities have gone into the pri-
mary election, in which the buying
of votes, the voting of persons who
never went to the polls, and the
coercion of voters has been de-
veloped. Some go persons have
already been indicted.
Senator Kem's contention is that
the Justice Department should
have prosecuted and sent the per-
petrators of fraud to a Federal
penitentiary-sirce involved in the
primary election were votes cast for
senatorial nominations and for
nominations for the House. He
points out that the Supreme Court
has upheld the right and duty of
the Federal Government to prose-
cute in such cases of fraud. Fur
ther, he recalls that in 1886, when
Franklin D. Roosevelt was Presi-
dent, there were similar election
frauds in Kansas City. The people,
at that time, were aroused. The
United States Attorney was Maui
rice M. Milligan, and he undertook
the investigation and prosecution
OF the frauds-and eventually sent
more than $50 persons to Jail.
Truman Opposition Failed.
It was Mr.. Milligan whose reap
pointment as United States Attor-
ney was opposed strongly on the
Senate floor by Mr.. Truman while
he was Senate member. But Mr.
Milligan was confirmed. Later still,
when Mr.. Truman became Vice
President and Mr.. Milligan was due
for another reappointment, Senator
KEN says, Mr.. Truman was able to
halt the appointment.
The voters in Kansas City and
the rest of Jackson County-whicn
contains Kansas City-elected q Re-
publican instead of the Truman
sponsored candidate, Axtell, in the
general election last November.
Now it is reported the Democrats
in jackson County, thinking of the
elections next year, have deter
mined to eliminate the Pendergast
label. Harry A. Morris, the chairman
Of the Democratic County Committee,
has decreed reorganization Of the
committee and elimination of Jim"
Pendergast. However, Mr.. Morris
was the campaign manager for Mr..