III. Activities of special committee-Continued. B. Subjects investigated-Continued. Page 4. Political activities of private corporations. 25 (b) New York Life Insurance Co.. (c) Guardian Life Insurance Co.. (d) Metropolitan Life Insurance Co... (e) Coercion of employees of a five-and-ten chain_ 5. Pre-national-convention activities. (a) On behalf of Thomas E. Dewey. (b) On behalf of Wendell Willkie.. (c) Coercion in choice of delegates to Republican 6. Post-convention activities on behalf of Nominee Willkie. (3) West Virginia_ 9. Election campaigns in various States (a) Absentee voting irregularities in general election_.. 63 64 64 64 64 64 66 67 79-80 39 53 54 54 57 58 59 60 60 II. Hatch Acts and Federal Corrupt Practices Act, 1925.. III. List of records of public hearings and compilations incorporated by reference as part of this report. IV. Tabulation by States of contributions and expenditures by com- mittees and individuals taken from reports filed with Clerk of the INVESTIGATION OF PRESIDENTIAL, VICE PRESIDENTIAL, AND SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES, 1940 FEBRUARY 15, 1941.-Ordered to be printed Mr. GILLETTE, from the Special Committee to Investigate Presidential, Vice Presidential, and Senatorial Campaign Expenditures, 1940, submitted the following REPORT [Pursuant to Senate Resolutions Nos. 212, 291, and 336, 76th Cong., 3d sess. and 59, 77th Cong., 1st sess.] I. INTRODUCTION The special committee of five Members of the Senate, appointed pursuant to Senate Resolution 212, Seventy-sixth Congress, to investigate campaign expenditures of the Presidential, Vice Presidential, and senatorial candidates, submits the following report: A. AUTHORITY CREATING COMMITTEE 1. The Special Committee to Investigate Campaign Expenditures in 1940 was created by Senate Resolution 212, Seventy-sixth Congress, agreed to by the Senate on February 1, 1940. The full text of this resolution will be found in appendix I at page 95 hereof. The resolution provided that the committee should consist of five Members of the Senate appointed by the Vice President. Also that no member should be appointed to serve on the committee from a State in which a Senator was to be elected at the general election in 1940. 2. Membership.-Acting under the authority given him in said resolution the Vice President appointed the following Members of the Senate to serve on the committee: Guy M. Gillette, Iowa, (Democrat); John E. Miller, Arkansas, (Democrat); Lister Hill, Alabama (Democrat); Charles W. Tobey, New Hampshire (Republican); and Clyde Reed, Kansas (Republican). At its first meeting, held March 19, 1940, the committee organized by electing Mr. Gillette as chairman and Mr. Miller as vice chairman. Subsequently, on September 25, Mr. Miller resigned from the com mittee because of illness in his family. On the same day Josh Lee, Oklahoma (Democrat), was appointed, but due to other matters he was unable to serve and resigned on October 3. On that day Alva B. Adams, Colorado (Democrat), was appointed to fill the vacancy. B. JURISDICTION 1. Subjects of investigation.-Under the resolution the committee was authorized and directed to investigate: (a) The campaign expenditures of the various Presidential, Vice Presidential, and senatorial candidates in all parties, and the method of expenditures; (b) The amounts contributed, the names of the persons, firms or corporations subscribing to such candidates or their campaigns; (c) The use of any other means or influence, including the promise or use of patronage or use of public funds, and all other matters in relation to such campaign expenditures which would be of public interest. 2. Purposes of investigation. These were: (a) To serve as a study which would aid the Senate in enacting remedial legislation; and (b) To aid in deciding any contests which might be instituted involving the right to a seat in the United States Senate. 3. Scope of authority. The investigation under the resolution applied to: (a) Presidential, Vice Presidential, and senatorial candidates and to contests before primary elections and nominating conventions which contests and campaigns terminated in the general election of 1940. 4. Authorization. The committee was authorized to act (a) Upon its own initiative and upon such information as in its judgment may be reasonable or reliable; or (b) Upon complaint being made before the Committee, under oath, by any person setting forth allegations as to facts which it would be the duty of the Committee to investigate pursuant to the directions of the resolution of authority. 5. The committee was required to make a full report to the Senate on the first day of the Seventy-seventh Congress. This was extended by Senate Resolution 336 to January 30, 1941, and by Senate Resolution 59 to Febuary 15, 1941. C. POLICY OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE At its first meeting the committee unanimously adopted a policy of giving fair consideration to all complaints within the purview of its authority and direction. They declared as a particular purpose to give consideration to violations of Public Law No. 252, approved August 2, 1939 (the Hatch Act), and amendments thereto. They further declared a policy to pursue such investigations as the committee deemed necessary of all complaints which in the opinion of the committee had apparent substantial basis, such investigations to be made with consideration alone for the public welfare, regardless of partisan and personal considerations. With reference to apparent violations of existing laws that might come to the attention of the committee or develop in the course of any investigation, the chairman was authorized and directed to refer all |