CONTENTS Provisions of resolution__ Work of committee_ Congress of Industrial Organizations Political Action Committee.. Selection of organizations to be investigated_ Activities of organizations__ Remedial legislation indicated_ Disclosure of receipts and expenditures.. Page UARY 2, 1945.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed ANDERSON of New Mexico, from the Special Committee to Investigate Campaign Expenditures, submitted the following REPORT [Pursuant to H. Res. 551] PROVISIONS OF RESOLUTION he Campaign Expenditures Committee, House of Representatives created pursuant to House Resolution 551, Seventy-eighth gress, and was authorized to investigate and report to the House later than January 3, 1945, with respect to the extent and nature ontributions, expenditures, and practices by or in behalf of cantes for the House of Representatives in connection with their paigns for nomination and election to such offices. he resolution imposed upon the committee the duty of investigatinsofar as it was possible, the extent and nature of expenditures; amounts of money subscribed, contributed, or raised, the value ervices rendered, and facilities made available; and the use of any r means or influence having for its purpose the aiding or influencing he nomination or election of candidates for the House of Represenves. It contemplated that the investigation would extend to viduals, committees, partnerships, corporations, labor unions or nizations, trade or business associations, or any political comee thereof; and to violations of the Federal Corrupt Practices the so-called Hatch Act, the War Labor Disputes Act, and any r Federal or State statutes having a bearing on the nomination lection of a candidate, or qualifications of a Member of the House epresentatives. he resolution further contemplated investigation by the committee ich matters relating to the election of President, Vice President, Members of the House of Representatives, and the campaign of candidates as would be of public interest, and which would aid nacting remedial legislation, or in any contest that might be tuted involving the right to a seat in the House of Representatives. WORK OF COMMITTEE In the preliminary work all candidates for the House of Repre sentatives were advised of the creation of the committee and of it jurisdiction in order that such candidates might know where to fil complaints or information of such irregularities as might come to the attention. Reports were requested from the national headquarter of the major political parties, and the respective congressional carpaign committees, concerning contributions and expenditures and th filing of all information required by existing statutes. These reques were fully complied with. Prior to November 7, 1944 (the date the general election), the committee devoted 21 days to hearing heard 72 witnesses and took 1,204 pages of printed testimony with respect to 12 different organizations, including the better know opinion-molding organizations politically active during 1944 and th recent campaign. Many additional hours were spent in executiv sessions of the committee doing necessary research, planning work, considering the testimony adduced. The work of the committee ha in large part met with hearty public approval-many congratulator letters and messages expressing approval of the purposes and wor having been received. The organizations investigated were the AllDemocrats, the American Democratic National Committee, t American First Party, the Committee for Constitutional Governme the Communist Political Association, the Constitutional Educationa League, Inc., the Friends of Democracy, the Official Democrs: County Assembly Committee of San Francisco, the National Assoc tion of Manufacturers, the Congress of Industrial Organizations Polit cal Action Committee, (and the National Citizens Political Acti Committee), the Union for Democratic Action, the United Lab Legislative Committee, and certain local and State organizations some of these. CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE Of all these organizations, the activities of the Congress of Industria Organizations Political Action Committee have aroused the greate public interest and controversy during 1944. The legal right organizations in the labor movement to contribute directly or directly to the political campaigns of parties and candidates has be questioned. The legality of some $700,000 in contributions by th Congress of Industrial Organizations international unions to t Political Action Committee has likewise been questioned. Legi restrictions aside, controversy has centered on the particular form participation in politics adopted by the Political Action Committe and on the propriety as a matter of public policy of permitting labe organizations conceivably composed of members with diverger political views to participate in an organized way in support of or political party or slate of candidates in a campaign. Because of this widespread public interest and controversy, th Congress of Industrial Organizations Political Action Committee has been investigated in more detail than any of the other organizations mentioned above. Hearings on the Political Action Committee wer held on August 28 in Washington, D. C., on October 8 and 9 in Ch cago, on October 18 in Los Angeles, on October 23, 24. and 25 in |