New   York Times, February 2, 1940
Hook's Failure to Expunge
Alleged Forgeries Fans Tilt
Over Pelley and Dies
MARCANTONIO FOR INQUIRY
New Yorker Quotes Story
Linking Whitley, Committee
^Counsel, to 'Conspiracy'
Emphasizing that the Sun. and
not he. had made the charges, he
quoted the story as saying that Mr.
Mayne told Rhea Whitley, counsel
for the Dies Committee, that Mr.
Hook Intended attacking Mr. Dies
on the House floor.
"If Mr. Whitley know this." he
added, "I submit that counsel en-
gaged in this conspiracy Just as
much as Mr. Mayne." •
As further quoted, the story stated
The Sun had learned that represen-
tatives of the Dies committee, with
"false papers to be turned over,"
working with private detectives,
"arranged a 'plant' in New York in
which $4,000 was offered by a mag-
azine editor."
Although voicing Incredulity, Mr.
Marcantonio said:
"But this committee Is not a
scared cow. Any members has the
right to oppose it or to Investigate
it. The New York Sun and the
committee will have to thrash it
out. The integrity of the House is
at stake. An investigation should be
made now. Otherwise, no member
is safe In attempting to find out
anything about any committee."
Voorhls Absolves Committee
Representative Voorhls of Calf-
By HENRY N. DORRIS
Sp«<:til to Tin Niw York Tout,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1-Thc con-   fornia. as chairman of a Dies sub-
trovorsy over the alleged forged committee named to find Mr. Pel-
letters of William Dudley Pelley,   l8V. sa'd he had authorized pay-
Sllvor Shirt leader, which were put  ,mant °f '°r Mr- Mavne
to go to North Carolina to induce
Mr. Pelley to testify about the Sil-
ver Shirts.
He said he did not know, and did
not think any other member of the
committee knew, of the alleged
forged Pelley letters until they
were made a part of the commit-
In the Congressional Record by
Representative Hook of Michigan,
virtually displaced consideration of
the Agriculture Supply Bill in the
House today. *.
Mr. Hook asked unanimous con-
sent to expunge from the Record £J£ reMlmony,""which,"he" added,
the letters, which allegedly sought did not show that any one had paid
to establish collusion between Mr. money for the letters knowing they
Pelley  and   Representative   Dies,  wore forgeries.
chairman of the Committee to In- ^™ /^^^ ^'fo^i.^^e
vestigate Un-American Activities, .aid. "but I say also that great care
and were made public in an effort ghould be spent by any one, includ-
to prevent the continuation of the ing the Dies Committee, when any
Dies Committee. one's reputation is concerned."
Representative Keefe of Wiscon- ,£Tesenla,tve. D?f"yril0f ,NfW
\.,   . j .    *.    ,. Mexico, a member of the Dies Com-
sin objected to Mr. Hook s request  n,meei stated that ,hc Federa, Bu_
"as long as the gentleman  has a ; r«nu   of  Investigation   had estab-
mental reservation" as to the au- . . .........
thentlcity of the letters, which was i hshod that the letters were written
questioned by Ihe Dies Committee. < on Mr. Mayne's typewriter.
The committee said it had estab- j   Hp also that the notary be-
fore whom the Mayne affidavit in
lished that the letters were written
by David Mayne, Washington rep-
resentative of the Silver Shirt
leader.
Affidavit Test Awaited
Mr. Hook's possession had been
made had stated that he did not
acknowledge it and did not know
Mr. Mayne.
Gardner Jackson, legislative rep-
resentative of Labor's Non-Partlsan
Mr. Hook replied that he had sent L*«K"«.  asserted  in a statement
, . .v.  n .   # t...   that the Dies Comm ttce. to im-
the letter to the Department of Jus- h|§ ^ »dUtopted..
tico, and road a letter of acknow- Ino fac(s of h,8 te8l|mony yester-
ledgcmcnt by Robert H. Jackson, day when he was hoard along with
Attorney General, who promised to Harold Weisberg, who Mr. Mayne
look Into the matter.   Until such "w0™ had Paid htni *105 tov the
time as ho had a report from the
letters.
in executive session attain today.
department. Mr. Hook said, he tn8 committee heard Merwin K.
would not accompany his request Hart, president of the New York
for expunging the letters with a State Economic League, testify
.„ »r_ nu» 'I18* he nad never heard of the
statement of apologj to Mr. Die. Christian Front untl, aflrr.a meet-
and the Dies Committee.
ing of his counsel addressed by Mr.
Mr. Hook insisted he had an af- Dles in New York. The alleged
fldavlt from Mr Mayne that the iorReA peney letters had sought to
letters word genuine, while the pies Bnow that Mr Hart nad knowledge
Committee yesterday said it had an of tn0 Chrj9tlan Front.
affidavit from Mr. Mayne that ho ---^|
had prepared the letters and signed
them with the name. "Pelly." pur-
posely misspelling the name of the
Silver Shirt leader.
Mr. Hook said he wanted the Jus-
tice Department to find out which
of the affidavits was true.
After several sharp exchanges be-
tween Mr. Hook and Mr. Keefe.
during which Representatives Ray-
burn and Martin, the majority and
minority leaders, took a hand, tho
floor was given to Representative
Marcantonio of New York.
Marcantonlo Quotes "Plot" Story
Mr. Marcantonio demanded that
the House investigate the facts
contained In a story published yes-
terday by The New York Sun to
the effect that the Dies Committee
had hired private detectives to sell
false papers to members of Con-
gress who sought evidence about
tho committee.