Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-12-26
Organizations Facing
Demand 10 Register
Under Lobbying Act

DSsss~ ~
Under Lobbying Act
An undercover Investigation of
lobbying activities here is expected
to result soon in q Justice Depart
ment demand for scores of business
and labor organizations to register
under the Lobbying Act of 1916.
Although few organizations have
registered under the act, Justice
Department spokesman said today
that the department takes the posi-
ton the law makes no distinction
between individuals and organiza-
tons.
The Justice Department, its public
relations spokesman said, Is making
q survey to see whether the law is
being complied with. When the
time comes that the department be-
lieves certain organizations should
register and they do not, he added,
the department may take action. ="
Three Courses Considered.
From other sources, 1t was learned
that special unit headed by Irving
Kaufman of New York has not yet
decided which of the following steps
to take:
/. To send a letter from the JUS
tice Department to each organiza-
ton advising that the department
has decided its principal activity Is
lobbying and, therefore, that it
should register.
2. To seek prosecution under the
Lobbying Act for failure to register.
3. To ask Congress for amend
ments to the act that would spell
out just who should register for
lobbying activities.
Henry Fowler, general counsel OF
the United States Chamber OF Com
merce, said he was called in by Mr.
Kaufman to discuss the possible
effects" of the Lobbying Act with
respect to the Chamber of Com
merce but he was told at the time
that the Justice Department had
not yet established policy on
whether the organization should
register.
Consulted on Registration.
Soon after the act was passed,
M. Fowler said, he and other organ
izatlons consulted with the Justice
Department on the question OF
registering and concluded that
registration of the individual is
what the statute called for"
So far, the Chamber of Commerce
has not registered as an organiza-
ton. Three of its legislative Of
ficials have registered as individuals.
Mr.. Fowler said he was assured
by Mr.. kaufman that whatever the
Justice Department decides to DO.
there will be mo exceptions made"
Mr.. Kaufman's survey, 1t was I'M
derstood. has covered railroads, the
oil industry, labor organizations, the
aviation industry, agriculture, real
estate and. business organizations.
Kaufman Calls in FRESHMAN.
Lee Pressman, general counsel OF
the CLIO, said he had also been
called in by Mr.. Kaufman. MI
Pressman also related the efforts
of the labor organizations to get
definite word on whether the law
required organizations as well as IN
dividuals to register.
"As to whether labor organizations
should register" Mr.. Pressman said,
depends on how the statute Is con-
strued. To this date, the chief leg
islative representatives nationally
and affiliated union representatives
have registered. The organizations
have not registered"
1t was pointed out that the ALL
has registered in connection with its
fight against the Taft-Hartley law.
Several organization spokesman
commended that the law is very
vague" The section on organiza-
tons calls for registering OF those
whose principal activity Is lobbying
Since the law was passed, how
ever, lobbying has frequently cropped
up in the news. Last June. when
President Truman reluctantly signed
the rent control bill with its pro-
vision for voluntary" agreements
on Is per cent rent increases, ne
asked for Congress to investigate
the real estate lobby"
Hughes Charged Lobbying.
Lobbying also was charged by
Howard Hughes when the plane
builder and motion picture producer
was called before the Senate War
Investigating Committee last fall.
Mr.. Hughes charged that Senator
Brewster, Republican, OF Maine was
closely connected with Pan-Amerl-
can Always and tried to force q
merger between Pan American and
Trans World Airline, with a promise
to call of the Hughes investigation
if Mr.. Hughes agreed to the merger.
Mr.. Hughes is the controlling stock
holder of Trans World Airline.
Mr.. Kaufman, former assistant
United States attorney in Manhat-
tan, was appointed as special as
sistant to Attorney General Clark
October 7.
1t was learned, however, that Mr..
Kaufman had been working quietly
on the lobbying inquiry for some
time before his appointment was an
nounced
The malaria carrying mosquito
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from egg to adult.