Evening star., 1947-07-18
Why not Investigate?

The question before the Senate in its
consideration of the Kansas City vote
fraud is whether there should be 1ull-
f1edged investigation of the Department
of Justice for alleged derelictlon or duty.
1t is not proposed to investigate the
fraud, which occurred last August in the
Democratic primary in Missouri's fifth con-
greSSional district. county grand jury
already has concluded that former Repre-
sentative Slaughter, to encompass whose
defeat President Truman enlisted the alo
of the Pendergast machine, was roooeo OF
the election by crooked tactics. A Federal
grand jury, very belatedly called into ses-
sion, is inquiring into possible violations OF
Federal law, and up to this time has re-
turned five indictments.
So there is no reason for the Senate to
investigate the election as such. What 1t
is concerned with, and what it should be
concerned with, is the role played by the
Department of Justice in this affair
1t is the duty of this department to see
to it that the Federal laws are faithfully
enforced. Some time ago, when complaints
began to come in, the Attorney General IN
structed the Federal Bureau of 1nvestga-
ton to make a preliminary lnveStlgatlon
In fact, the FBI was instructed specifically
to interview four Kansas City election
commissioners and two reporters for the
Kansas City Star In other words, the
scope of the investigation was sharply re-
stricted, and the FBI was careful to point
this out in its report
On the basis of this restricted inveStiga-
ton the Attorney General concluded that
there had been no Federal violation, and
on last January the case was ordered
closed. That this was very questionable
assumption is best indicated by the fact
that the five indictments have already
been returned by the tardily convened Fed
eral grand jury.
It also is a matter Of record that despite
the undenably restricted scope of the
investigation the Attorney General, on last
January 27. wrote Senator KEN of Mis-
souri, that the FBI. at his direction, had
conducted a full investigation into the
charges of fraud in this primary
In any event, after consideration of
these circumstances, Senator KEN has
come to two conclusions. and has stated
them on the floor of the Senate. One is
that the letters he received from the Attor-
ney General constitute misrepreSenta-
ton of known facts to a member of the
Senate in answer to an official inquiry"
The other is that the Attorney General
Limited the scope of the (original FBD
inquiry to a field in which no evidence of
conspiracy could be detected, and then
closed the files because no evidence of con-
spiracy was found"
These are only charges. But they are
very grave charges, bearing. as they do,
upon the good name of an official in whom
it is essential that the public have the
highest confidence.
1t is true that the Senate Judiciary
Committee, dividing along party lines, with
the Democrats, has recommended against
further investigation. But neither this
committee, nor its subcommittee. has made
q full investigation
Yet here is case which, if dropped now,
is certain to leave an aftermath of doubt
with respect to the integrity of some of our
highest political institutions 1t also in
wolves the reputation of an Attorney Cen
eral who has shown himself in many
difficult cases to be man of high integrity.
In the light of all these circumstances, The
Star believes that there should be a full
investigation, and hopes that Attorney
General Clark will be found among those
insisting upon it.