rumely argued decided march respondent secretary organization among things engaged sale books political nature refused disclose committee congress names made bulk purchases books distribution convicted amended provides penalties refusal give testimony produce relevant papers upon matter congressional inquiry resolution empowering function committee authorized directed conduct study investigation lobbying activities intended influence encourage promote retard legislation activities agencies federal government intended influence encourage promote retard legislation held committee without power exact information sought respondent pp construe resolution authorizing committee inquire efforts private individuals influence public opinion books periodicals however remote radiations influence may exert upon ultimate legislative process raise doubts constitutionality view prohibition first amendment phrase lobbying activities resolution construed lobbying commonly accepted sense representations made directly congress members committees extending attempts saturate thinking community scope resolution defining respondent duty answer must ascertained time refusal enlarged subsequent action congress pp respondent convicted amended refusal give certain information congressional committee appeals reversed app granted certiorari affirmed oscar davis argued cause main brief robert stern acting solicitor general reply brief solicitor general cummings assistant attorney general murray beatrice rosenberg john wilkins briefs donald richberg argued cause respondent brief alfons landa delmar holloman justice frankfurter delivered opinion respondent rumely secretary organization known committee constitutional government among things engaged sale books particular political tendentiousness refused disclose house select committee lobbying activities names made bulk purchases books distribution convicted amended stat provides penalties refusal give testimony produce relevant papers upon matter congressional inquiry appeals reversed one judge dissenting held committee rumely refused furnish information authority compel production app since appeals thus took view committee authority contrary adopted house citing rumely contempt granted certiorari issue whether committee authorized exact information witness withheld must first settled may consider whether congress power confer upon committee authority claimed although dealing resolution house representatives problem much confronts called upon construe statute carries seeds constitutional controversy potential constitutional questions import asked recognize penetrating pervasive scope investigative power congress reach may claimed power indicated woodrow wilson characterization proper duty representative body look diligently every affair government talk much sees meant eyes voice embody wisdom constituents unless congress use every means acquainting acts disposition administrative agents government country must helpless learn served unless congress scrutinize things sift every form discussion country must remain embarrassing crippling ignorance affairs important understand direct informing function congress preferred even legislative function wilson congressional government accommodation contending principles one underlying power congress investigate basis limitation imposed first amendment called construed scope authority house representatives gave select committee lobbying activities pertinent portion resolution august reads committee authorized directed conduct study investigation lobbying activities intended influence encourage promote retard legislation activities agencies federal government intended influence encourage promote retard legislation res sess patently duty avoid constitutional issue possible applies merely legislation technically speaking also congressional action way resolution see federal trade american tobacco indeed duty needlessly projecting delicate issues judicial pronouncement even applicable resolutions formal legislation hardly gainsaid resolutions secure passage casually less responsibly main enactments requiring presidential approval surely denied giving scope resolution government contends deriving power inquire efforts private individuals influence public opinion books periodicals however remote radiations influence may exert upon ultimate legislative process raises doubts constitutionality view prohibition first amendment light opinion prettyman views expressed seemly maintain doubts fanciful factitious indeed adjudication necessary affect evanescent policy congress power inform underlies function whenever constitutional limits upon investigative power congress drawn done congress demonstrated full awareness stake unequivocally authorizing inquiry dubious limits experience admonishes us tread warily domain loose language kilbourn thompson weighty criticism subjected see fairman justice miller landis constitutional limitations congressional power investigation harv rev inroads made upon case later cases mcgrain daugherty sinclair strongly counsel abstention adjudication unless choice left choice left matter english phrase lobbying activities readily lends construction placed upon namely lobbying commonly accepted sense representations made directly congress members committees app reach chairman buchanan mind attempts saturate thinking community cong rec lobbying cover activities anyone intending influence encourage promote retard legislation congress differentiate lobbying activities activities intended influence congress wished authorize extensive investigation influences form public opinion used language least explicit employed resolution question authorizing investigation government agencies certainly violence phrase lobbying activities give restricted scope give meaning barred intellectual honesty interpret candid service avoiding serious constitutional doubt words strained need strained order avoid doubt justice holmes blodgett holden concurrence justice brandeis justice sanford justice stone view observing principle wisdom duty recently strained words need strained considerations prevailed case prevail word need said debate congress committee reported rumely refused produce information right refuse restricted meaning phrase lobbying activities view taken time committee congress committee authorized ask rumely information withheld legislative history defining scope congressional measure said debate august controversy arisen regarding scope resolution august usual infirmity post litem motam declarations event rumely duty answer must judged time refusal scope resolution defining duty therefore ascertained time enlarged subsequent action congress grave constitutional questions matters properly decided inescapably come us adjudication duty abstain marking boundaries congressional power delimiting protection guaranteed first amendment avoid mischief followed occasional departures principles profess judgment affirmed footnotes justice douglas justice black concurs concurring respondent convicted indictment charging willful refusal produce records give testimony committee house representatives violation amended stat committee known select committee lobbying activities created august house resolution provides part follows committee authorized directed conduct study investigation lobbying activities intended influence encourage promote retard legislation activities agencies federal government intended influence encourage promote retard legislation background subpoena questions asked respondent contained report select committee sess appears ccg respondent executive registered regulation lobbying act stat et seq october reports registration made protest showed ccg spent october august basic function ccg according select committee distribution printed material influence legislation indirectly regulation lobbying act requires disclosure contributions received expended influence directly indirectly passage defeat legislation congress select committee reported enactment regulation lobbying act ccg adopted policy accepting payments contributor specified funds used distribution one books pamphlets applied term sale contribution report regulation lobbying act supra pp report select committee also shows respondent willing give committee total income ccg refused reveal identity purchasers books literature bill rights beyond power committee investigate books involved road ahead john flynn constitution thomas norton compulsory medical care welfare state melchior palyi law irving mccann purchasers percent books shipped rest told ccg individuals send type person farm leaders receive one person ccg send compulsory medical care melchior palyi libraries select committee stated report study organization indicates clearly important function distribution books pamphlets order influence legislation directly indirectly attempts influence legislation directly sending copies books pamphlets printed materials members congress attempts influence legislation indirectly distributing hundreds thousands copies printed materials people throughout particular significance fact edward rumely committee constitutional government recent years devised scheme raising enormous funds without filing true reports pursuant provisions federal regulation lobbying act scheme color legality fact method circumventing law utilizes system outlined whereby contributions committee constitutional government designated payments purchase books transmitted others direction purchaser contributor money recipients books totally unaware subterfuge cases supra refusal committee constitutional government produce pertinent financial records committee unable determine whether committee constitutional government evading violating letter spirit federal regulation lobbying act establishment class contributions called receipts sale books literature whether complying law requires amendments strengthen policy committee constitutional government refusing accept contributions unless earmarked books may also involve dividing large contributions installments less causing records committee constitutional government reflect receipt installment different date causing records committee constitutional government give credit several installments various relatives associates actual contributor causing committee constitutional government records contributions reflect less total amount contributions actually received labeling part funds payments made printed matter refusal committee constitutional government produce pertinent financial records committee unable determine whether federal regulation lobbying act requires amendment prevent division large contributions installments prevent crediting contributions others real contributor prevent use subterfuges supra pp respondent convicted sentenced fine imprisonment six months appeals reversed divided vote app majority holding lobbying activities used resolution creating select committee authorize inquiries made respondent view term lobbying activities meant direct contact congress attempts influence public opinion sale books documents holds resolution authorized select committee investigate lobbying activities extend inquiry contempt proceeding based difficulty position starts resolution history makes plain intended probe sources support lobbyists registered regulation lobbying act congressman sabath one sponsors resolution included ccg partial list large lobby organizations reports expenditures first quarter see cong regulation lobbying act respondent ccg registered applies persons soliciting receiving money used principally influence directly indirectly passage defeat legislation congress congressman buchanan introduced resolution became chairman select committee said purpose resolution investigate operations act word resolution word debate preceding adoption suggests inquiry delimited restricted confined particular methods collecting money influence legislation directly indirectly select committee took broad view authority concluded substantial attempts influence legislation pay consideration constitute lobbying said pamphleteering lobbying activity overshadows traditional techniques contact persuasion cited conclusion activities ccg id conclusion reached vehement objections three minority members select committee insisted investigation breadth exceeded authority resolution infringed constitutional rights free speech free press part posture case select committee referred respondent refusal testify house contempt proceedings congressman buchanan called collection funds sale books pamphlets evasion regulation lobbying act cong rec pressed house importance controlling kind activity regulation lobbying asked house ratify conclusion select committee respondent contempt pp construction resolution challenged congressman halleck member select committee signed minority report argued contempt citation sought nothing influencing legislation ordinary ways seeing members congress communicating formation public opinion among people country congressman halleck argument twofold inquiry within purview resolution unconstitutional pp others took debate issues vote taken resolution passed thus house squarely meaning earlier resolution narrower construction select committee adopted urged upon congressmen pleaded long earnestly narrow construction pointed broader interpretation taken inquiry trenching constitutional rights citizens say face close consideration question house select committee exceeded authority house representatives made known construction powers granted beginning doubts meaning resolution house removed repudiating house emphatically affirmed says select committee lacked authority compel respondent answer questions propounded ii necessity come constitutional questions respondent represents segment american press may like group publishes others may disapprove tracts may essence wisdom others point view philosophy may anathema ears words may harsh repulsive others may carry hope future publisher books pamphlets seeks reach minds hearts american people different respects publishers differences minor like publishers newspapers magazines books publisher bids minds men market place ideas aim historic struggle free press establish preserve right english people full information respect doings misdoings government grosjean american press tradition behind first amendment censorship previous restraint banned near minnesota discriminatory taxation outlawed grosjean american press supra privilege pamphleteering well orthodox types publications may neither licensed lovell griffin taxed murdock pennsylvania door door distribution privileged martin struthers illustrative preferred position granted speech press first amendment command congress shall make law abridging freedom speech press behind long history expresses confidence safety society depends tolerance government hostile well friendly criticism community men minds free must room unorthodox well orthodox views present inquiry sanctioned press subjected harassment practical effect might serious censorship publisher compelled register federal government subjected vexatious inquiries requirement publisher disclose identity buy books pamphlets papers indeed beginning surveillance press true legal sanction involved congress imposed tax established board censors instituted licensing system potential restraint equally severe finger government leveled press ominous government demand publisher names purchasers publications free press know disappears spectre government agent look shoulder everyone reads purchase book pamphlet today may result subpoena tomorrow fear criticism goes every person bookstall subtle imponderable pressures orthodox lay hold fear read unpopular dislike light publicity may reach student teacher inquiry discouraged books pamphlets critical administration preach unpopular policy domestic foreign affairs disrepute orthodox school thought suspect subject investigation press readers pay heavy price harassment minor comparison menace shadow government cast literature follow dominant party line lady toledo required disclose read yesterday read tomorrow fear take place freedom libraries book stores homes land harassment hearings investigations reports subpoenas government hold club speech press congress law power investigation also limited inquiry personal private affairs precluded see kilbourn thompson mcgrain daugherty sinclair matter respect valid legislation kilbourn thompson supra pp mcgrain daugherty supra since congress law require respondent house demanded may take first step inquiry ending fine imprisonment section provides pertinent part every person summoned witness authority either house congress give testimony produce papers upon matter inquiry either house committee either house congress willfully makes default appeared refuses answer question pertinent question inquiry shall deemed guilty misdemeanor punishable fine less imprisonment common jail less one month twelve months res sess law discussion ccg published pamphlet labor monopolies freedom copies distributed members congress got copy went publishers people take opinion way mint small coin distribute others supra respondent testified frank gannett paid distribution pressure groups interpret lobbying act different ways file expenses others file full budget list expenditures judge allocable legislative activities still others file expenditures directly concerned lobbying organizations argue need file unless principal purpose influencing legislation justice department says principal includes substantial legislative interests lobbies also differ filed expenditures organizations individuals cong rec analysis scope investigation meaning lobbying contained general interim report select committee pp et seq cf barsky app certiorari denied rehearing denied marshall app certiorari denied rehearing denied