Evening star., 1948-07-27
Public Funds Misuse
Is Real Issue Behind
Loose Lobby Talk
Answer to the Problem
Is TO Inform People on
Both Sides of Questions
By David Laurence

Congress is back here amid a lot
of loose talk from the administra-
ton about "lobbies." The impli-
cation is that the pressure groups
are the only ones that do the lob
bying.
The real issue in the whole lobby
business is the misuse Of public
funds by the administration in
power which, in turn, encourages
the private Hobbies to organize in
self defense.
The aspersions cast on lobbying"
have come often from legislators
themselves, who dislike to be beaten
on any issue. Out of resentment
they blaze away at lobbyists. Ac-
tually the organization Of pressure
groups would not affect votes in
Congress unless the arguments
were plausible. A lobby may spear
head the attack but many a lobby
is futile because it doesn't make a
case or doesn't have case to make.
The right of petition is guaran-
teed by the Constitution itself. One
of the first symptoms of totalitari-
anism Is the effort to curtal the
peoples right Of petition. The leg
islators and the executive officials
who are subject to pressure by lobby
groups are or ought to be able to
take care of themselves. There
are laws against bribery and i'm
proper influence.
Use Of Public Money.
The chief difficulty with the lobby
problem is the enormous amount Of
public money and influence used
10 prevent legislation from being
enacted. Officials of Government
departments and agencies are for
bidden by law to lobby for or against
pending legislation, but the Justice
Department under the Democratic
administration does not prosecute
such offenses.
Not so long ago House commit
tee uncovered fragrant examples of
lobbying in behalf OF the National
Labor Relations Board by public
officials. 1t was revealed that pub
lie funds had been used. The at
tention of the Justice Department
was called to these offenses. Moth
ing was done about 1t.
Every time lobby controversy
starts, there is talk of more legis-
lation to restrict the lobbies. What
is needed is some means of bringing
to the bar of JUSTICE those officials
who lobby with the use of taxpayers
money.
The private Hobbies spend an in
finitesimal amount of money COM
pared to the influence and public
money they have to combat. If new
legislation is in order, some means is
needed to empower local grand juries
to take the initiative in indicting
public officials VINO use the long
distance telephones, Government
stationery and facilities for travel
all at Government expense-to line
up votes for or against pending leg
islation. Otherwise, the peoples in
terests cannot be protected. For
the administration in power will not
prosecute itself but will prosecute
anybody trying to lobby for an op-
posite point of view.
There has been a lot Of talk about
the real-estate lobby. Plainly such
a lobby wouldn't be effective unless
it were able to line up votes back
home. If the real-estate interests
didn't maintain a lobby here, the
landlords might. 1t isn't difficult
to organize those whose pocketbooks
are likely to be affected adversely by
legislation.
Answer to Problem.
The answer to the lobby problem
is not to cut down debate or the
sources of opposition but to make
sure that both sides in controversy
have access to public opinion. The
publicity powers of an adminiStra-
tion holding Office here are much
greater than those of private in
stitutions There is no difficulty in
making the Government view
point known.
The existence of pressure groups. |
on the other hand, cannot be ended
by legislation. In one way or an
other citizens will organize in labor
unions, manufacturers associations.
investor groups and trade bodies,
and they will make their influence
felt at the polls Notwithstanding
any laws that may be passed by
Congress requiring a cumbersome
system of registration and filing of
expenses.
If men in public life have the
courage of their convictions, If they
are ready to accept defeat at the
polls in defense of basic principles,
and If the people are kept con-
stantly informed on current issues,
the presence or absence of lobbies
shouldn't make the least difference
in the enactment of legislation.