Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05
Hoover Iesfifies
Probe
Was Restricted
Earlier Order Held
FBl Back FuIl-scoIe
Inquiry Now Started
BY ]. a. o'Leory

- :
the Federal Bureau of Investiga-
ton, told a Senate subcommit-
tee today the FBI only made q
preliminary inquiry into alleged
election Irregularities In Kansas
City last summer on instructions
from the Justice Department.
AS the Senate group resumed it's
probe today, it came to light, how
ever that the Department OF Jus
tice. through the FBI,, has recently
launched a full-scale investigation
in Kansas City.
The full-scale inquiry was
launched, it was disclosed, after a
Missouri grand jury. in its own
probe after the preliminary FBI
investigation, returned II indict-
ments in connection with the pri-
mary and theft of a number Of
ballot boxes was discovered.
Just before the noon recess, Sem
ator Ferguson, Republican, of Mich
igan, chairman Of the Senate Judi
ciary subcommittee, told Attorney
General Clark apparently some-
thing has happened since last fall
to make you think there should
be full investigation"
''The ballots were stolen, and T
think that was an outrage" the
Attorney General replied
May Not Be Federal Offense.
Senator Ferguson suggested the
disappearance Of the ballots was not
a Federal offense and wanted to
know If there would have been a
further investigation In the absence
CT that development.
Mr.. Clark replied that If the bal
lots would throw any light on
whether Federal law had been vio-
lated in the election their disap-
pearance would be pertinent.
why didn't you look for that
last fall when the ballots were fresh
and before they were stolen2" Sem
ator Ferguson pursued.
Mr.. Clark reiterated his earlier
testimony that the Justice Depart
ment closed the matter last january
because he had been informed the
United States attorney and judges
in Missouri and his own assistants
concluded there was Insufficient
evidence of Federal violations to
justify a grand jury investigation
or impounding Of the ballots.
Ferguson Demands Evidence.
Chairman Ferguson was demands
ing some written evidence Of this
conclusion by the judges in Kansas
City when the committee recessed
until 2::30.
Mr.. Hoover explained that in cleo
ton complaints, antitrust, labor and
civil rights cases the Attorney Gen.
erals Office reserves the right to
direct the procedure under long
standing practice.
Senator Ferguson sprang a sur
prise by reading letter in which
an FBI official in Kansas City.
Dwight Brantley, warned Federal
District Attorney Sam Wear last
year that the FBI report on what
happened in the Democratic con-
gressional primary was not a fuli
FBI investigation.
The hearings are being held on
a resolution by Senator KEN, Re-
publican, of Missouri, seeking to find
out whether the Attorney Generals
office acted properly in running
down the election complaints.
Last weeks hearing brought out
that after the preliminary FBI
probe, the Justice Department de-
cided there was not sufficient evil
dence to justify Federal prosecu-
ton, which Attorney General Clark
contends would have to be based on
an alleged conspiracy to deprive
voters Of their civil rights.
(After the Department of Justice
decided there was no basis for Fed
eral prosecution a State grand jury
was convened and has returned II
indictments. The grand jury also
recommended a complete recount Of
the primary in which former Rep
Iresentative Slaughter was beaten for
the Democratic nomination by Enos
Axtell. Mr.. Slaughter had opposed
some OF the administration pro-
grams in Congress and President
Truman backed Mr.. Axtell.
Did Not Have BrantIey Letter.
(The purge drive against Mr..
Slaughter in the Democratic pri-
mary. merely resulted. however, in
the election of the Republican,
nominee, Representative Albert L.
Reeves, jr., last November.)
Senator Ferguson revealed today
that, although the subcommittee
was given confidential copy last
week of the FBI report, it did not
have attached to it the letter of
Agent Brantley, in which he
warned the district attorney 1t was
tSee PRIMARY, Page A-4)