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Roosevelt Opens Tax Records to Dies Committee

May 16, 1939
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President Roosevelt today opened the Federal income tax records to the House Committee on un-American Activities. The Treasury Department made public the President’s executive order and issued its own order specifying that the committee can obtain any returns by submitting a written list of persons whose returns it wishes.

Public hearings by the committee will probably be held in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, New York Chicago, Birmingham and Washington when Congress adjourns, Chairman Martin Dies (Dem., Tex.) said. “The list of cities is tentative, but when open, we will have enough stuff to keep in session from three to four months. Your wires will be hot from morning to night when we get going.”

Evidence is now being gathered by investigators and attorneys, Mr. Dies said. A state ment from Fritz Kuhn, leader of the German-American Bund, has been obtained but is not to be made public immediately. Mr. Dies wants Kuhn to appear before the committee but does not know if his full committee will want to bring the Nazi leader. If Kuhn comes he will answer specific questions, the committee chairman said, and will not be allowed to use the committee as “a form for his Fascist views.”

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