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Show Merry-Go-Round j Parnell Thomas Takes Cake As Un-American By Drew Feareeei WASHINGTON Unfortunately K la not illegal for a congressman to keep a soldier from seeing combat duty and thai collect a political campaign fund from hi family. If thl were Illegal. Congressman Parnell Thorn ae would be tried for another offense In addition to taking kickback ea the aalarlea which Uncle Sam meant for hie office itaff. In 1944, when Congressman Thomaa w up for reflection, he received a con-I con-I tribution of '$250 from Herman Kimrael of Long Beach, N. Y., which is, of course, outaide the congressman'! New Jersey district Again in 194, when the congress-man congress-man faced a primary election, he received another 1 100 from the same Kimmel. New Jersey voter had no way of know ing what was behind these two contribu tions, but here are the interesting, da-American da-American facta Most people have forgotten It, but Thomas was not only chairman of the im American activities committee, but also a member of the house military affair com. mittee, which passed on army legislation; therefore, had great weight with the war department. In 1943, Private Edward Allen Kimmel, serial No. 32801902, son of the above Her man Klmmetfaced shipment-oversea to "combat duty. So Congressman Thomas telephoned the second service command la New York and informed them that young Kimmel was an undercover agent for the un-American committee, therefore had to be kept close to the New York ..area. Asm cordingly. Col. C. E. Miller, director of per. sonnel for the second service command, transferred Kimmel from Camp Upton, N. Y., and assigned him as an investigator of the internal security division la New York. Army Gets Skeptical A few days later. Colonel Miller asked Kimmel to drop ia to see him and seemed surprised that he was only 18 years old, bad no experience as an investigator, in fact was merely a student at New York university before entering the army. Skeptical, CoL Miller telephoned Congressman Con-gressman Thomas's office, reported that Kimmel said he had never met Thomas, had ' never worked for the un-American activities committee. To patch up these crossed wires, the congressman con-gressman immediately sent Ray Rockefeller, Rockefel-ler, an Investigator for the un-American activities committee, to see CoL Miller. However, Col. Miller remained skeptical. He kept Pvt. Kimmel in internal security only 18 days, but did not transfer him overseas. over-seas. Instead, he was assigned to the Broadway Central Hotel In New York A temporary army barracks and later to Camp Blending, Fla. Pvt Kimmel did not go overseas. His buddies did. many never to come back. Waiting a very scant time after performing perform-ing this priceless favor. Congressman Thomaa attempted to cash In on it Th congressman also operates an Insurance agency on the side "Thomaa and Godfrey" so, on Sept 30, IMS, he wrote a letter to Private Kimmel' father. Introducing his Insurance partner. "This will Introduce my partner, Spencer Spen-cer K. Godfrey," Thomaa wrote to the father of the boy who had been saved from overseas over-seas duty. "... I know that Godfrey can be helpful to you; at least I would appreciate appre-ciate any courtesies which you may care to extend him." The letter got no results. Godfrey sent It bsck to Thomaa with notation scribbled scrib-bled across the bottom: 'This man refused to talk said he doesn't know you." Later, however, .Kimmel overcame his discretion. And when the congressman who had kept hs son out of combat duty came up for reelection, Kimmel contributed a total of 1350. Thomas's Insurance Backet The above incident was not the only time the congressman congress-man from New Jersey used hia insurance firm to cash In on favor. For instance, Thomas helped Joseph J. Brunetti, a New Jersey contractor, recover aome 140.000 held in escrow by the federal housing administration. adminis-tration. Later, when Brunetti started a huge apartment project In Maywood, N. J., the Congressman wrote him a letter and waa rewarded with the insurance on Brunetti business. The congressman also used s nest scheme for printing stationery for his Insurance firm. It was done by the government gov-ernment printing office, paid for out of his congressional stationery allowance. Christmas Christ-mas cards for the firm of Thomas and Godfrey God-frey also were printed and paid for by Uncle 8am in the same way. Thus did th gentleman who posed aa a great American chairman of the un-American activities committee squeeze the dollar not only out of hi office taff on salary kickback but out of th government at every turn. Capital Newa Capsules Those inho. pitable Swedes? The Swedes claim they were merely carrying out Sen. Thomas' own request when they failed to roll out the royal carpet for him. The junketing senators sent word from Oslo that when they got to Stockholm they wanted to rest didn't want to be burdened with a heavy program. |