The Pittsburgh Press (August 8, 1944)
Biddle refuses but–
Dies is expected to push PAC probe
Civil Service may get demand on payrollers
Washington (UP) –
The Dies Committee was expected today to ask the civil Service Commission to investigate, and dismiss where warranted, those government employees it suspects of violating the Hatch Act by working with the CIO Political Action Committee.
Rep. Martin Dies (D-TX), chairman of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, was advised by Attorney General Francis Biddle yesterday that the activities were not contrary to the criminal section of the Hatch Act and hence not under jurisdiction of the Justice Department.
Mr. Biddle said he was sending copies of Mr. Dies’ complaint to the Civil Service Commission, which conducts investigations of employees in classified Civil Service positions who are suspected of violating the act. Those found guilty are subject to dismissal.
FBI probing other angles
In asking Justice Department action, Mr. Dies cited Section 9 of the Hatch Act which makes it “unlawful for any federal employee to use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting the result thereof.” Only a few specific exemptions were listed in the statute.
Mr. Biddle’s reply paid the Justice Department, including the FBI, is investigating the CIO committee’s activities in the light of other federal bans on politics, but that violations of Section 9 of the Hatch Act would “not come within the investigative or prosecutive jurisdiction” of his office.
Baldwin, McPeak active
Mr. Dies had advised Mr. Biddle that his committee had a list of telephone calls and telegrams between 77 government employees and officials of the CIO committee. He said the list showed one call to Mr. Biddle, 13 to David K. Niles, a special administrative assistant to President Roosevelt; six to Jonathan Daniels, also a presidential assistant, and 27 involving Vivien Adele Ford of the Foreign Economic Administration.
Mr. Dies especially complained against the activities of two former government officials now with the CIO committee – C. B. Baldwin (former $10,000-a-year administrator of the Farm Security Administration) and C. A. McPeak (former $5,600-a-year labor representative of the War Production Board in Texas). He charged these men worked with the CIO before they left the government payroll.
The fact that they are now off the payroll, however, appeared to eliminate them from any possible action by the Civil Service Commission.