The Wilmington Morning Star

SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1946

POLITICAL PROBE
PUSHED IN HOUSE

Representatives
Become
Riled Over Reported
Truman Purge

WASHINGTON, July 19. - (P) -
The house authorized an investigation
of political
campaigns Friday
and associates of Representative
Slaughter (D.-Mo.) immediately
moved to
turn its spotlight upon
the
Kansas
City
campaign
in
which he
has
been
marked for
defeat by
President Truman.
Slaughter's
friends said the in-
vestigation, if it is made, will be
directed specifically
at activities
of the CIO Political
Action com-
mittee against Slaughter.
Check In Georgia
They also said a check would be
made into reported CIO-PAC op-
erations
against
Representative
Tarver (D.-Ga.) and Gibson (D.-
Ga.) Tarver conceded that he had
been defeated for renomination in
Wednesday's primary, and Gibson
was running behind in a see-saw
race that may not be decided until
the count is complete.
Slaughter's friends made it clear
that they would seek to publicize
all angles of the campaign fights
in Missouri and elsewhere, thus
including the presidential "purge"
move.
Rep. Howard Smith (D-Va.) took
the lead by bringing to the floor
and securing immediate passage of
a resolution creating a special five-
member committee to investigate
this year's house election cam-
paigns.
While such a measure is cus-
tomary in campaign years, the
Smith move is significant because
the legislation he sponsored was
written by Representative Domen-
geaux (D-La.), a frequent CIO-
PAC critic.
If precedent is followed, Speak-
er Rayburn (D-Texas) will name
Domengeaux chairman of the spe-
cial group, even though he express-
ed preference earlier for a simi-
lar resolution by Representative
O'Neal (D-Ky.)
Fearless Campaign
Domengeaux told a reporter that
if he is chosen he plans a ''thor-
ough and fearless' investigation
of CIO-PAC activities in Missouri,
Georgia and anywhere else where
complaints arise.
He said he is not pre-judging any
facts at issue and will probe 'just
as strongly any complaints about
election activities of the National
Association of Manufacturers or
any pressure group which tries to
unduly influence the legislative
processes."
Domengeaux said he had receiv-
ed reports that 'the CIO sent 20
cases of liquor into one district in
Georgia to try and win support
for their candidate." He declined
to identify the district.
Rayburn is in the driver's seat,
however. He has full authority to
pick not only the chairman but
the members of the committee.
Some administration leaders
are urging the speaker to ignore
Domengeaux and other Slaughter
associates in choosing the group.
Others are fearful, however, that
if this is done it will endanger
party harmony.