Evening star., 1949-02-13
Lobby Probe May Reach
Ex-Conqress Members
Fifteen Former Senators and Repre-
sentatives Registered Under Law
By Chalmsrs M. Roberts

By Chalmers NJ. Roberts
The extent Of lobbying by former members
Of Congress who have the privilege Of the
floor ID . likely topic for the expected Sem
ate investigation into the perennially fssci-
mating subject Of trying to influence the
legislative branch Of Government.
Senator Kugore, Democrat. Of West vtr.
sinia has introduced o resolution calling for
lobbying investigation and he is expected to
head Judiciary Committee subcommittee
to do the Job. He introduced the resolution
after discussing the matter With President
Truman.
A check Of the activities Of former men,
bers Of Congress-those whose activities are
known through registration under the lobby
ing law-reveals some interesting facts. The
survey was made by Congressional Quarterly,
a fact-nnding organization.
The publication also had added up oil
the reports made to Congress on lobbying
expenditures In 1948. The total comes TO
$6,191 1888 for 206 organizations, compared
to $5,058357 In 1947 for 149 groups The
publication points out Justice Department
interpretations Of the act In l94S may have
resulted in new registrations. hence the to-
tai spent may not represent an increase
over 1947. In 1948 at least IS organizations
spent 100000 or more for lobbying activi.
ties the official reports show.
It turns out that three ex-senators and
IL ex-Representatives have formally regis
tered either as individuals or through law
Arms for which they work. There is no
registration of ex-members who do bit OF
pushing for one bill or another during the
cocktail hour, however.
Registered are:
Ex-Senators Danaher, Republican, Of Con-
necticut; Wheeler, Democrat, Of Montana,
and Kingsley Taft Republican. OF Ohio Mr..
Taft, distant relative Of the present Ohio
Senator served q few months interim term
while Congress was not IN session and 10
registered through his Cleveland law firm.
Ex-Representatives listed are Ellis Demo-
crat. Of Arkansas; Voorhis. Democrat, OF
California; Carter, Republican, Of California:
Ramspeck Democrat, of Georgia: Tarver,
Democrat. Of Georgia; O'Connor. Democrat.
Of New York; Disney, Democrat, of Okla
homa: Lanham, Democrat. Of Texas; Wood
rum, Democrat, Of Virginia; Harris, Demo-
crat, of Virginia. Lands, Republican, Of
Indiana and Manasco, Democrat, Of Ala
bama
Under House rules former members OF
that body are entitled to the floor or to use
the lobbies and rooms leading to the House
chamber provided they ARE not interested
in any claim or directly in any bill pending
before Congress"
Ex-Senators are entitled to the floor with.
out restriction.
It is quite o common sight to see former
members Of both houses on the floor during
sessions. Others frequent the cloakrooms.
Some are there simply because they can't
get the congressional bug out Of their sys.
TENS. the same reason 80 many former mem
bers settle down In Washington rather than
60 back home after leaving Congress
As has been pointed out many times, lob
bying. per se, Is an honorable profession.
But those who have lobbied only for selfish
interests and to raid the public treasury
have forever given the word lobbyist"
meaning in the public mind not easily dis
PEELED. The lobbying law sought at least to
bring out In the open this phase of the
American right to petition the Government
Tor redress OF grievances as the Constitu-
ton puts it.
The lobbying investigation. II it takes
place. will owe the impetus for its incep.
ton to statement by the International AS
sociation Of Machinists. calling for such a
move. President Harvey w. Brown Of the
union also had this to say about lobbying
Of ex-members Of Congress:
I'VE are suggesting that the Kilgore in.
ileges by former members of Congress. The
interests Of good government would seem
to require stricter enforcement of the pro-
hlbition against lobbying on the very floors
OF Congress. at least by registered lobbyists"
The question of the effectiveness of that
registration law also is certain to come in
for consideration The Government already
has taken court action against organizations
and individuals for failure to register and
the requirements of the law appear to need
clarifying.
The registration statements of the regis
tered lobbyists among ex-members of Con-
gress show wide variety of interests. They
cover lobbying for specific industrial con-
Germs, trade associations representing
whole industry. oil companies, cooperative
groups public utilities and others.
Fees paid these men, as stated in the
registrations, range from around $4,000
year to combinations of fees and retainers
running into large figures. Some of the
higher paid lobbyists among ex-Congress-
men are men who frankly gave up their seats
In Congress because they said they could
not afford to continue at the lower legislative
salary.
One ex-member of Congress, former Rep
resentative Slaughter, the Missourian Pres
ident Truman successfully "purged" in the
1946 primary. is under indictment for failure
to register. He was affiliated with the drive
to eliminate public grain storage provisions
from the Commodity Credit Corp. law. o
move widely credited with helping to swing
the farm vote from Dewey to Truman last
November. Mr.. Slaughter has termed the
indictment political" and added he only
represents various organizations and hence
was not bound to register personally.
What kind Of investigation lies ahead,
assuming the Senate authorizes 1t, may be
gauged from a statement by Senator KIlgore
in the machinists' union publication last
month. He wrote:
To-day the discredited lobbyists are again
mobilizing their forces for an assault on the
Presidents program and the 81st Congress.
An Investigation must be conducted which
will make public the extent and influence