Evening star., 1953-08-07
Busy Little Bees

Weburn S. Mayock raiser of $4,000 for
the Democrats in 1948, certainly was justified
in his description of himself as busy little
bee" But he was not the only busy little bee
buzzing around at that time.
The circumstances under which Mr.. Mayock
raised the $4,000 for the Democratic National
Committee were unusual to say the least.
Through friend he got in touch with man
seeking a tax ruling that would save him
upwards of 81 million. The mans regular
Washington lawyer, though former Treasury
official, had been unable to obtain the desired
ruling. And Karl r. Price, then an attorney in
the Bureau of Internal Revenue, had recon-
mended against granting such ruling.
But when Mr.. Mayock buzzed into the
picture things changed and fast. He managed
to secure interviews on August II and August
20, 1948, with Secretary of the Treasury Snyder
Mr.. Snyder put Undersecretary Edward H. Foley
to work on the matter Mr.. Foley called Mr.
Price and, according to the latter, urged "all
haste in considering the request for the ruling
Mr.. Price also said he was told to discuss the
case Immediately with Charles Oiphant, then
general counsel of the bureau, and report
whether you would approve the application"
Mr. Price said he recommended against it, but
that it was approved on September %.
This would seem to be quite an achievement
for a "furtive little lawyer to borrow another
of Mr.. Mayock'S characterizationS of himself.
But he had more work to do. After the favor
able ruling, he obtained a $65,000 fee all in
cash, from his client. There is conflicting, and
obviously perjured, testimony as to what hap
pened to part of this money. But Mr. Mayock
says, and no one Denies that he took $4,000 in
cash to the Democratic National Committee,
with which he had some kind of connection
at that time. Louis Johnson, former Secretary
of Defense and then chairman of the Demo-
cratic Finance Committee, was delighted. Upon
further reflection, however, reflection which
presumably concerned the Hatch Acts ban on
such large contributions from a single source,
Mr.. Johnson declined to take the money.
So Mr.. Mayock quickly switched from the
role of furtve little lawyer back to that of busy
little bee. He went out and buzzed around
among his friends until he persuaded enough
of them to contribute total of 100000 in
individual gifts, reimbursng them with his
personal checks.
That about tells the story of Mr.. Mayock,
the busy little bee. 1t is story, however, which
seems to leave much untold about the other
busy little bees who were buzzing around in the
Treasury and the Bureau of Internal Revenue
on business which will hardly impress the
cynical as being strictly in the public interest.
There is perhaps one more chapter which
might be added. Since Mr.. Truman was the
intended beneficiary of Mr.. Mayock's fund
raising efforts it is interesting to ascertain
what he was doing while the buzzing around
was going on in Washington. Mr.. Truman was
not even here. In fact, on the day before Mr..
Mayock paid his second visit to Mr.. Snyder,
the President was way out in Iowa, making a
political speech. This is what he said: THE
basic difference between the two parties is
that the Democrats represent the people and
are pledged to work for the people. The Re-
publican Party embraces the gluttons of privi-
lege. They are cold men. They are cunning
men. And it is their constant aim to put the
Government under the control of men like
themselves