HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION UNITED STATES SENATE EIGHTY-FOURTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 636 A BILL TO REVISE THE FEDERAL ELECTION LAWS, ELECTIONS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES APRIL 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, MAY 10, 17, AND 18, 1955 Printed for the use of the Committee on Rules and Administration JK •1240 COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION CARL HAYDEN, Arizona THOMAS C. HENNINGS, JR., Missouri WILLIAM E. JENNER, Indiana GORDON F. HARRISON, Chief Clerk and Counsel SUBCOMMITTEE ON PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS ALBERT GORE, Tennessee JAMES H. DUFFY, Counsel II Page Statement of Hon. Thomas C. Hennings, Jr., chairman of the Subcommittee Text of S. 636 (Federal Elections Act of 1955). Leonard W. Hall, chairman, Republican National Committee; accompanied by Fred C. Scribner, Jr., general counsel, Republican Paul M. Butler, chairman, Democratic National Committee_ Marvin A. Harder, Democratic State chairman, Kansas Harold E. Fellows, president, National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters; accompanied by Vincent T. Wasilewski, counsel, National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters Alexander Heard, professor of political science, University of North Neil Staebler, Democratic State chairman, Michigan_-_ Mrs. Clara Shirpser, Democratic national committee woman from Warren E. Baker, general counsel, Federal Communications Com- Warren Olney III, Assistant Attorney General in Charge of Criminal Division, Department of Justice; accompanied by A. B. Caldwell, Chief, and William J. O'Hear, attorney, Civil Rights Section_... Clarence Mitchell, director, Washington bureau, National Association Memorandum on S. 636, by Ray Bliss, Republican State chairman, Ohio. - 217 Letters and telegrams relative to S. 636—Continued Richard H. Balch, Democratic State chairman, New York. Leo C. Stine, department of political science, Western Michigan Karl Loewenstein, professor of jurisprudence and political science, department of political science, Amherst (Mass.) College.. Peter H. Odegard, chairman, department of political science, Univer- Hugh A. Bone, professor of government and politics, department of political science, University of Washington (Seattle) America-National Catholic Weekly Review (Apr. 30, 1955). Wilmington (Del.) Journal-Every Evening (Apr. 13, 1955). Richmond (Va.) Times Dispatch (Apr. 12, 1955). Boston Daily Globe (Apr. 16, 1955). Christian Science Monitor (Apr. 11, 1955). FEDERAL ELECTIONS ACT OF 1955 TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 1955 UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS OF THE Washington, D. C'. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:05 a. m., in the Old Supreme Court Chamber, United States Capitol Building, Senator Thomas C. Hennings, Jr. (chairman of the subcommittee), presiding. Present: Senators Hennings (presiding) and Curtis. Also present: Senator Green (chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration). James H. Duffy, counsel to the subcommittee; Gordon F. Harrison, chief clerk and counsel to the Committee on Rules and Administration: John Dempsey, political science specialist to the subcommittee. Senator HENNINGS. May the committee come to order, please. Mr. HALL. Mr. Chairman, may I have my counsel sit alongside of me? Senator HENNINGS. You may, indeed, Mr. Hall. However, if you will indulge the chairman for a moment, before we have the benefit of your testimony I would like to read a preliminary statement. Mr. HALL. Fine. Senator HENNINGS. Today the Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration begins hearings on S. 636, the proposed Federal Elections Act of 1955, which is intended to revise the Federal election laws to prevent corrupt practices in elections, and for other purposes. As chairman of the subcommittee, and as one of the sponsors of this measure, together with Senators Hayden, Green, and Gore, I would like to make a brief statement explaining the background of the bill, its principal provisions, the objectives which the bill is intended to attain, and, in particular, the nature and purpose of these hearings. I might say parenthetically that I have some familiarity with these matters since I am now in my fifth year of service on this committee. I have participated in the most extensive investigations of election practices, including the contested elections in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and others. Some of these were not, in fact, contests; some of them were predicated on other things. Out of these hearings and investigations, I have had ample opportunity to see the pressing need for substantial revisions in our Federal election laws. At the present time, financial matters in connection with elections to Federal office in the United States are regulated primarily by two laws, as you know-the Federal Corrupt Practices Act of 1925, and |