Evening journal., 1916-10-07
CHARGES PLAN NOW TO
LOOT OFFICE HOLDERS
Republican National Com
mittee Asserts Democrats
Make Improper Levy
'STRONG-ARM SQUAD
TOLD HOW TO WORK

FEW YORK, Oct. I'm a statement
given out last night at Republican ma
tional headquarters it is specifically
charged that carefully laid plans have
been made by the national Democratic
executive committee to extort a cam
paign fund Of several million dollars
from Federal oficeholders to assist in
the recollection of President Wilson.
The statement declares the plans
frankly contemplates a violation Of
the spirit of the civil service act and
the criminal code. The statement
continues:
The trainers OF the plan are per-
fectly aware of the fact that they are
skating on thin ice and have striven
TO direct the procedure of their sub
ordnates so as to enable them TO ef-
feet substantial violation OF the law
without being caught. The men who
arc endeavOrng TO put the plans in
operation boldly confess to the sub
ordinates upon whom they rely for the
actual strOng-arm work that they are
deliberately seeking 10 evadc the
statutory provisions TO which. in pub
lie and for the purposes of campaign
argument only they make such pro-
fuse profession of devotion.
The first drive OF the cash col
lectors for the Democratic committee
is aimed at postmasters. but it is spe-
officially set forth that all other Fed
eral appontees as we'll arc expected
TO contribute to the Wilson campaign
fund The amount Of the levy upon
them is ten per cent. Of one years
salary.
Thousands Of Apprentices Affected.
The Postoiticc appropriation bill. app
proved by President Wilson on July 2S,
carries an item for compensation to
postmasters. S3l 100000 II the Demo
cratic hagmcn are only reasonably suc-
cessful in holding up postnasters. they
can expect TO accumulate a fund of
many hundreds of thousands of dollars.
il not millions, from postmastcrs alone.
And this takes no account Of the many
thousands of other Federal appointocs
whom these plans of the Democratic
Campaign Committee make specifically
subject 10 the visit of the bagman.
"The Democratic Trainers OF these
plans for cNtorting Wilson campaign
funds from Federal ofliceholders under
stand exactly the very delicate legal
situation of their scheme. They arc
careful 10 set forth in the instructions
10 the strong-arm squad the fact that
'of course this is not compulsory OBJ
viously meaning that it, is not legally
compulsory; but they proceed TO state
that they are informed that there is
10 be a permanent organization of our
force throughout the country.
''This permanent organization Is TO
keep tabs on the Federal oiiiceholders. a
record IL TO be made 'of the loyalty Of
those appointces who contribute and Of
the 'disloyalty' of those Federal Office
holders who decline to contribute to the
Wilson campaign fund. Of course, there
is no compulsion about a procedure like
his This merely notifies Federal
olliccholdcrs, by the authority of the
National Democratic Executive Com
mittee. that if they do not contribute
ten per cent. of a years salary to the
Wilson campaign fund they will he
marked down by the Wilson Permanent
Organization as disloyal
Instructions TO the "Bagmen."
"Thc instructions to the strong
arm squad point out that il is yio-
lation OF the civil service law 70
write letter to a postmaster de-
handing money for campaign pur-
noses or to call upon the postmasters
i'm the pOstofice and ask for sub
scription to the campaign fund. The
strong arm squad is directed. there
fore. to avoid writing to or calling
upon Federal appoiutees in their Of
ices, but are advised to seek private
appointments with the Federal Office
holders, to find them at their homes
or to catch them when they are tenn
lorarily off the job.
with this explanation OF the legal
difficulties in their way the strong
7rm squad is admonshed to proceed
uteiligently along these lines and to
,ontrivc in legal way to solicit
The Federal oficehOlders.
There are several sections Of the
Federal statutes the spirit OF which
II not the letter. is clearly violated
by the procedure planned under the
auspices OF the National Democratic
Executive Committee.
Sought Technical LOOphOle.@
Section 11S OF the United States
criminal code. which embodios Sec
ton II OF the civil service act, deals
with ono phase of this matter. Sec
ton 119 Of the United States crimi-
nal code. which embodies section -
OF the civil service act. deals with
another phase of it, II is this latter
section TO which the trainers of the
Democratic extortion scheme speci-
fcally refer in their instructions 10
the strong arm squad Sections 100
and 121 Of the United States crimi-
nal code which embOdy sections 1S
and IA Of the civil service act. refer
10 other phases OF the matter.
ut is obvious that the men who
develop the scheme for the National
Democratic executive committee and
who are endeavoring TO operate it
had these provisions OF the law In
mind. and have sought deliberately
to find the technical loophole which