Evening star., 1948-09-29
Justice Aides Studying
Request for Probe
OF Thomas Payroll
| Pearson Charges Cited;
| Ferguson AneriIy Denies
Gifts to His Family

The Justice Department has
under consideration a petition
from II New Jersey lawyers
asking for an investigation of
the way Representative J. Par
nell Thomas, Republican, of New
Jersey has handled his office
payroll.
The request was based ON articles
by Columnist Drew Pearson. The
lawyers, all residents of the 7th
New Jersey congressional district
represented by Mr.. Thomas, said
they were deeply concerned" about
the charges.
Mr.. Thomas heads the House
Committee on Un-American Activl-
ties which released on Monday a
report on its investigation Of atomic
espionage. In the report the com.
mittee declared that the failure Of
the Justice Department to prosecute
alleged atomic spies was "indefensi'
ble."
In a five-word comment on the
request and the Justice Depart
ments announcement that it was
studying the matter, Mr.. Thomas
said
Il refuse to be intimidated."
Meanwhile, other articles by Mr.
Pearson concerning Senator Fergu'
son, Republican, of Michigan
brought an angry retort from the
Senate's top investigator.
Senator Ferguson said "a warmed.
over political attack" is being mads
against him on the basis of letter
from Senator Elmer Thomas. Dem.
ocrat, of Oklahoma. which he got
last February and tossed into thu
wastebasket."
Senator Ferguson, who heads Q
Senate Expenditures investigator:
subcommittee, described yesterday
as "a bunch of damned lies" any in.
situations that members Of his fam
lily received gifts from Detroit busi
ness firms.
Mr.. Pearson gave an account ol
the letter which said it was writer
after the committee headed by Sen
ator Ferguson had inquired int
commodity speculations by Senator
Thomas. 1t referred to relations
which Senator Thomas claimed tha
Senator Ferguson and his famil!
had with certain business concerns
Denies Link to Hearings.
Senator Ferguson said the lettel
had nothing to do with the fac
that no open hearings have beer
held on the market dealings OF Sen
ator Thomas. The subcommittee
knows that l have favored oper
hearings on the matter, but that th'
subcommittee did not agree" HI
said. He declared that the inciden
is being used to defeat him for re-
election.
In Tulsa, Okla, Senator Thoma
said he wrote the letter but hat
nothing to do with its publication
He added that he plans to leave TO
Washington this week to find ou
how the letter came to be published
At the time the Ferguson groul
was inquiring into his commodit,
trading, Senator Thomas wrote
-etter, which was released then, say
ing that if his business dealings wer'
investigated the private affairs ant
financial transactions" of other Sen
ators also should be scrutinized.
Still Before Committee.
The matter Is still before the Sem
ate committee. However, Commit.
tee Counsel William P. Rogers said
he doubted whether the Ferguson
group has jurisdiction in the case.
The petition of the New Jersey
lawyers involving Representative
Thomas was made public by Assist
ant Attorney General Alex M.
Campbell of the Justice Depart
ment's Criminal Division.
The petition was accompanied by
clippings of Mr.. Pearson's column.
In asking for an investigation to
determine whether any Federal laws
have been violated, the lawyers
said:
We feel that charges as serious
as these. standing. as they do, un-
refuted and uncontradicted by Mr..
Thomas, constitute severe refiec-
ton not only upon Mr.. Thomas but
also upon his entire constituency"
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