Evening star., 1947-08-15

eral Communists and the TACT mas
been uncovered that various per-
sons working in the interest OF
foreign countries have been per-
petrating passport frauds, the Amer
ican people are not being reminded
that this very movement had its
origin with the Dies Committee.
1t is true that the rules of evil
dence are disregarded by congress
sional committees, but this is a.
legislative custom on which there
are varying opinions. Very little
criticism has come during the past
IL years from the left wing" rs
the National Labor Relations Board
has actually made decisions affect
ing civil rights after hearings I'M
which the rules of evidence have
been ayowedly disregarded. Trial
examiners have the chance and do
go further af1eld than congressional
committees, because there is no mi
nority party representative to check
on abuses.
Securities Act Recalled.
It will be recalled also that the
technique of sweeping investigation
by congressional committees has re-
suited in the passage of important
legislation The present Securities
and Exchange Act owes its origin
to the Senate Banking Committees
inquiry in 1888 into financial oper-
ations of big holding companies.
Individuals were pilloried before
that committee, whether guilty or
innocent, and innuendoes were is
sued every day to the press to
prejudice public opinion. But that
was Democratic Party affair.
Likewise, under Democratic con-
troll in the '39s, the income-tax re-
turns of several successful business
men were held up to scorn because
they took advantage of legitimate
deductions. Investigating commit
tees have a way OF running all over
the lot with their questions and the
Democratic committees did not
seem to be any too polite or digni-
fed about 1t when they were in
power.
The courts have upheld the right
of congressional committees to ask
almost any question on any subject.
The courts have ruled that Congress
has a right to elicit information
whether the legislative body decides
to use or not to use the information
in the writing of subsequent legis-
lation.
Recently some Democratic spokes-
men, with a little touch of self
righteousness, have condemned some
of the Republican committees for
lack of dignity" This implies per-
haps that the conduct of congress
sional investigations by the Demo-
Gratis has always been dignified.
But there is no rule requiring Sem
ators to consider dignity" in ex-
amining witness. If there were
such proprieties in the Senate,
some Of the new-found champions
of dignity" would not have been
fllibustering recently for days at
time under the pretense of discuss
ing a public question while they
read from books piled high on Sen
ate desks that contained matter
wholly irrelevant to the subject
under debate and merely consumed
time. Such tactics are considered
proper though obviously hypocriti- |
cal and undignified.
Bulwark of Government.
The rules of dignity" seem to
come to the fore when someone
doesn't like congressional inquiries. |
Dignifled or undignitied. the investi-
eating committee is the chief bull |
wark Of our representative form of
government. 1t is means whereby
the party in power is checked up
by its successors inquiries 1t is a
warning, moreover. to those who win
power not to forget that the public
some day may vote another regime
into the saddle and the checking
process will be begun all over again.
To ridicule the system of congress
sional investigation is to reflect
doubtless the irritation of onlookers
and also the irritation of persons
being grilled. But. adding it all up,
the advantages are on the side OF
sweeping inquisitorial powers. One
important rule is that investigating
committees shall not be the vehicle
for the welding of private axes or
the airing of private grudges.
About all that experience with
recent Investigations seems to prove,
however, is that Democrats don't
like congressional Investigations con-
Quoted by Republicans and the Re-
publicans don't relish inquiries con-
Quoted when the Democrats are in
power. If the public will observe
the long-range results carefully, it
will find that congressional investi-
cations usually result in the eradi-
cation of abuses and often in legis-
lative restrictions in the public
interest.