PREVENTING PERNICIOUS POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

JULY 5, 1939.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. CELLER, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 1871]

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1871) to prevent pernicious political activities, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill, as amended, do pass.

The committee amendments are as follows:

Page 2, lines 15 and 16, strike out the words "or to vote as he may choose" and insert in lieu thereof the words "or to participate in the activities of a political party".

Page 2, line 20, after the last syllable of the word "possible" and immediately preceding the word "by", insert the words "in whole or in part".

Page 3, in section 5, at the end of line 9, after the word "solicit", insert the words "or receive"; and in line 10, after the word "solicit ing", insert the words "or receiving"; and in line 13, after the word "benefit", insert the words "as a relief worker or a person on relief". Page 3, line 16, after the word "person", insert the words "for political purposes".

Page 4, in lines 11 and 12, strike out the words "shall be deemed guilty of a felony and"; and in line 12, after the word "conviction", insert the word "thereof".

Page 4, in lines 20 to 23, strike out the second sentence of section 9 (a), beginning with the words "All such persons", in line 20, down to and including all of line 23.

Page 5, line 2, after the word "Congress", insert the words "for such position or office".

Page 5, in line 5, strike out the words "any other sections of"; and in line 6 strike out the words "or of this Act".

This proposed legislation prohibits interference with the right of every person to vote as he may choose at elections for Federal offices, including the office of Presidential elector. Particularly it seeks to prevent coercion of, and solicitation of, money from relief workers for political purposes.

The bill also forbids anyone who is employed by the Government in an administrative or supervisory capacity to use his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the results of elections. Prohibitions of the bill are enforced by criminal penalties of a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both, and if the violator holds an office with the Government, by removal from his office.

A brief description of the bill, by sections, follows:

Section 1 makes unlawful the coercion or intimidation of any person by another person for the purpose of interfering with his right to vote for the candidate of his choice in elections to choose Federal officials, including Presidential electors.

Section 2 forbids any person employed in an administrative position to use his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the result of elections to choose Federal officials. The committee amendment to this section adds a proviso to the effect that this section shall not be deemed to affect the rights of such persons to participate in the activities of a political party.

Section 3 prohibits the promise of reward or employment as consideration for the support of, or opposition to, a candidate or political party.

Section 4 makes it unlawful to deprive any person of position, work, or benefit made possible by acts of Congress appropriating funds for work relief or relief purposes on account of race, creed, color, or political activity.

Section 5, as amended by the committee, forbids the receiving of, as well as the solicitation of, money from relief workers or persons on relief for political purposes.

Section 6 prohibits disclosure of lists or names of persons on relief for political purposes and the receiving of such lists or names for political purposes.

Section 7 declares that no part of any appropriation for work relief, relief, or public works projects shall be used to coerce or restrain any person in his right to vote at any election.

Section 8 is the criminal penalty section. It prescribes a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both, for violation of any of the first seven sections of the bill. The committee amendment strikes out the language in this section to the effect that violation shall be deemed a felony. The punishment prescribed by the section is that of a misdemeanor as defined in the Criminal Code and does not come within the definition of a felony contained in the code.

Section 9 forbids any person employed in any administrative or supervisory capacity by the Federal Government to use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting the results thereof, upon pain of removal from his office. The committee amendment strikes out the provision that such persons shall take no active part in political management or political campaigns. This provision of the Senate bill is very far reaching and contains no exemptions.

Section 10 expresses the intent that the provisions of this bill shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, existing law. Section 11 is the ordinary separability clause.

PORTRAYING THE STORY OF AVIATION

JULY 5, 1939.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. SECREST, from the Committee on the Library, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. J. Res. 123]

The Committee on the Library, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. J. Res. 123) having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the joint resolution do pass.

The purpose of House Joint Resolution 123 is a most laudable one for two very important reasons:

First: Aviation has proven its utility in many ways. It is the most threatening weapon of modern warfare. It promises a great boon to humanity in peacetime as a safe and most rapid method of transportation. There is no memorial to aviation in the abstract in the city of Washington, and now is an appropriate time to do something about it.

Second: The unfinished condition of the frieze in the dome of the Capitol is unfortunate. In its present condition it reflects discredit on the Congress which is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Capitol Building. Since the original purpose of the paintings in the frieze was to portray the great achievements of the people of the United States from its beginning, it is very fitting that a panel portraying the origin and development of aviation be placed therein. While the United States of America has contributed to civilization many great inventions and discoveries, probably its greatest has been those contributions which have changed the method of transportation for all of the peoples of the world. From the dawn of civilization until the time when Orville and Wilbur Wright made a successful flight with their airplane, all the transportation made by humanity had been made on the ground. These two intrepid Americans, by their genius and their courage, developed and perfected what now would appear to be a crude instrumentality in which they were able to propel themselves through the air. From his small beginning we have seen avia

tion grow until it has proven its serviceability. It is no longer an experiment. Great fleets of airplanes are considered by all of the nations of the world as their most ready line of defense in war. The great airplanes that fly in all portions of the world on exact schedules are now being depended upon by millions and millions of people all over the world. Savings in time and money have been incalculable and the comforts brought to humanity are inestimable.

High up in the dome of the Capitol there is a space 9 feet high extending 300 feet around the inside circumference. The utilization of this space is a subject of much importance and considerable discussion has taken place concerning it. Many artists and interested persons have felt that stone decorations should be used and others favored plaster decorations. It was finally decided about 1855 that painted panels therein, which would depict the great incidents in the development and progress of the United States of America, would be most appropriate. The painting of these panels was carried on by Brumidi, a world-famous artist, and by Costaggini, another famous artist. About one-eighth of the space has not been filled.

Soon after the close of the World War a portion of the then-vacant space was utilized. The addition seems to emphasize the unfinished portion. Probably 25 linear feet still remain without decoration. One glance at this unfinished portion would persuade any Congressman or Senator that something should be done to complete this very worthy and important work.

The Congress in 1925 took a position as to the proper course to follow and in taking this position put a stop to the controversy that had been raging between various artists representing various crafts. On March 3, 1925, Congress approved an authorization of $40,000 with which to complete that frieze. It expressed itself as being in favor of completing it with the same sort of artistry which has already been employed in carrying the work to its present state of completion. Therefore, it is not necessary to get a report from the Bureau of the Budget or any Government department from a financial standpoint because this amount of money has already been authorized and all that is now needed from a legislative standpoint is to take some action so as to carry out the wishes of the Congress as expressed at that time.

Since aviation is one of the greatest boons that has come to mankind in the whole history of civilization, and since it is distinctively the result of the genius and courage of Americans, it is only appropriate that a panel portraying its origin and its promise of further development be painted in this freize in the dome of the Capitol along with other great achievements of the country commencing with the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

This joint resolution authorizes an appropriation of $20,000 for the painting of a panel portraying the story of aviation and the all important achievements of patriotic Americans in giving to the world one of its greatest boons. The amount sought to be appropriated herein is infinitesimal compared to the glory that has been brought to our Republic through aviation-the world's fastest growing and fastest means of transportation.

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