Evening star., 1951-10-07
Senators 10 Consider
Bill 10 Take Profit
Out Of Influence
By Robert K. Walsh


of political influence" gained high
priority in the Senate judiciary
committee yesterday, and another
Senate group mapped report on
Investigations of Democratic and
Republican national chairmen.
Chairman McCarran, Democrat
of Nevada, announced that the
judiciary committee will take up
tomorrow a revised bill aimed to
prevent national party officials
from getting fees or other benefits
from dealings with Government
agencies.
The original bill was introduced
earlier this year by Senator Byrd.
Democrat, OF Virginia. Senator
McCarran said he would join
Senator Byrd in drive for Senate
passage Of such a measure before
adjournment this fall.
Says It's A Must"
Recent disclosures. mostly con-
cernlng the Reconstruction FL
nance Corp. and involving many
Government employees and politi-
cal personages, put the bill in
the category of must" legislation.
he declared.
Meanwhile, Senator Hoey, Dem
oCrat, of North Carolina. chairman
OF the Senate investigations sub
committee, said his staff already
is working on a comprehensive"
report of open hearings which
began September 13 and ended
Friday.
Those hearings. together with
preliminary studies last summer,
grew out Of stories that Demo-
cratic National Chairman William
M. Boyle, il, received $4,000 from
the American Lithofold Corp. of
ST Louis in 1949 and helped that
printing concern get S565 900 in
RFC loans the same year.
Gabrielson Heard.
The sessions branched out into
a special two-day hearing last
week at the request of Republican
National Chairman Guy G. Ga
brielson. Some Republican men,
berS of Congress and others had
criticized him for his connection
with Carthage Hydrocol. Inc,
which obtained S8.5 million in
RFC loans before he became ma
tional chairman.
Mr.. GabrielSon, president and
legal counsel for the company, de-
Tended as perfectly proper" his
contacts with RFC officials con-
corning company business.
Mr.. Boyle also defended his as
soclatlon with Lithofold. He said
he received $3.50 as a legal re-
tainer early in 194e but that 1t
had nothing to do with RFC loans.
Ee denied he ever sought to in
fluence employees or actions of
any Government agency.
Senator Hooey did not say
whether the report would make
legislative recommendations. It's
preparation. he remarked, may
take some tiMe because 1t will
have to be in considerable detail"
He implied that the report-will
stress "factual matters"@ let
evidence speak for itself.
Byrd Bill Endorsed.
Several members of the dooey
subcommittee have indorsed The
Byrd bill, at least in principle. AS
originally introduced in the SEN
ate. the measure was designed 10
prevent officials or employees of
national party organizations from
"practlcing before or attempting
to influence the decision of any
department or agency of the
United States" 1t proposed penal
ties up to three years imprison-
ment or a $4,000 fine, or both.
Senator Byrd described the bill
as a move to take the profit out
of political influence. AS inter-
preted by some Senators, it could
apply TO others besides paid Off
cials and employees at national
party headquarters. 1t also could
concern key volunteer workers and
national committee members who
sought TO exert influence on Gov
eminent agencies for their own
financial profit.
Bill Now Revised.
The bill, however, has been
somewhat revised by a judiciary
subcommittee also headed by
Senator McCarran. When pre-
sented for full committee discus
sion tomorrow. it repeatedly will
retain stiff penalty provisions but
relate specifically TO any aalaried
OF unsalaried national committee
official who:
l. Solicits or accepts anything
OF value from a client he repre-
sentS or helps before a Federal
agency.
2. Solicits or receives things of
value, including jobs or promises
Of jobs for himself or others. IN
L,