Sirs:
In TIME, May 16, in your article headed "Locusts," you quote the President of the U. S. as saying that the halls of Congress were ''haunted by a locust swarm of lobbyists" and then TIME remarks, ". . . active and successful lobbies which pay their legislative agents $10,000 or so per year to secure Congressional favors include the following. . . . Motorists. The American Automobile Association, whose special pleader is Alexander E. Johnson, failed to block a Senate increase in the automobile tax."
This Association employs no legislative agent, never has employed one to my knowledge, has no such man as Alexander E. Johnson on its payroll and no one at our headquarters has ever heard of such an individual in Washington. A director of our affiliated Louisville, Ky. Automobile Club named Alex E. Johnson is Chairman of our Legislative Committee, the principal function of which is to outline and formulate policies for submission to our annual convention. Mr. Johnson has not been in Washington as our representative at any time, has taken no part in the presentation of our views on national taxation. He does not and has not received any compensation from this organization.
Furthermore, in the interests of editorial accuracy, may I point out that the Senate has neither accepted nor rejected an increase in the auto tax as it has not in this session had the question before it for vote. . . .
We do not assume that you would classify the appearance of business men before committees of Congress to set forth their views on legislation of vital importance to them as "lobbying."
ERNEST N. SMITH
Executive Vice President American Automobile Association Washington, D.C.
1) TIME'S source of information was the A. A. A.'s publicity department. 2) Yes, TIME does designate as "lobbying" the appearance in Washington of citizens endeavoring to influence legislation to their own benefit. But TIME attaches no stigma to such lobbying, either by paid or unpaid agents, where openly & honestly conducted. The practice has become a necessary part of U. S. legislative procedure.
Chief current criticism of U. S. lobbying has been aimed at the delay and confusion caused. Outside of regular hearings there have been much buttonholing in corridors, much crowding around committee room doors, much pestering of legislators at homes, hotels, clubs. Many States require lobbyists to register as such, sometimes to pay fees. Not so in Washington. The late sarcastic Senator Caraway used to call the lobbyists "The Third House." Others have suggested that lobbyists be recognized and dignified as such, given a forum of their own in Washington, given rules & regulations and caused to function as a debating body in the Government where the private friends & foes of legislation could air their views for the edification of busy legislators.—ED.
Sirs: