◆ SpookStack

| err, { i t j gedute of Washington po _ Mr. Benson wired the Presj-. .dent that such an investigatigh, - . revgaled yesterday in The News, ' ‘ “means that the equivalent gf a; estapo is now policing the capi- | tal of our nation. ... “We expect that you will demand | of the Commissioners of the Dis- trict of Columbia and the Senate ; _ District Committee an immediate ! investigation of this intimidatin ~ procedure and its threat to Tunaa- | ‘ mental civil liberties.” + Police Chief Robert J. Barrett late : yesterday declared he has had noth- ing to..do with the plan to investi- : gate local Wallace supporters. NO AUTHORITY : Maj. Barrett said no one has au- ‘thority to make such an investiga- ‘tion and he did not know one was ‘ planned. ‘° «pq jike to find anyone who is smaking such an investigation,” he " said. : Maj. Barrett said he called a con- man’s special investigations squad. | ‘He said he met with Lieut. Black- ;man, Inspector Floyd Truscott, act- ‘ing detective officer and Detective | } Bureau chief, and Capt. Robert Bry- : cting detective chief. He said told him they had made no an- uuncement about the investigation. FILE EXISTS The police chief did admit that | -police “have had a file since before ‘the war.” In the file are lists of ‘questionable gatherings and groups, ' persons attending their meetings :and speakers at meetings. ! On the list of speakers, it is un- “@erstood, are the names of the late President Franklin Delano Roose- ‘welt, Mrs. Roosevelt, former Police eral members of Congress, in addi- :tion to local ministers, business men Lan Ernest W: Brown, and sev- ‘and labor leaders and other respect- ‘able citizens. Maj. Barrett said he was “emba -yassed” to read in The News -thft ‘members of his department wgre investigating ministers and bust ‘ness men. ; '?: Elmer A. Benson, chairman of the National | A. , ional W i-today said he has asked President Truman to yee onte the lice who “intimidating ~pro-| for Communist activities. ice who have planned a checi of local Wallace_backers to Truman esident Committee, ALL PNFORUATION CONTARES Vase Wy Ge Ago ib ne ke.