Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-27
b0nAH CHARGES BE MONEY WOULD RULE: ]. 5:
 b0TH CONVENTIONS
Attempt 10 Buy Both Party Meetings 1t is
 Alleged
LOWDEN AND WOOD
 BACKE FRS ATTACKED
Heated Political Debate in Senate is the Result of Idaho
 Soion's State
 lnent

f1BfOU S fSIHie-
 ment
 Washington, March 26.-A direct charge that big financial interests were trying to buy the national con ventions of both the republican and democratic parties was made in the senate today by Senator Borah, re- publican of idaho in speech advo- eating congressional action to regu- late the pre-convention expenditures of candidates for the presidency.
 Concentrating his attack on the bankers of Major General Leonard Wood and Governor Frank o. Low den for the republican nomination, Senator Borah declared the Wood managers were attempting Ito con- trol the republican convention the use of money, while the Lowden organization apparently was spend ing even greater sums to gain sup port for their candidates. Within 10 days, he predicted, two democrat ic aspirants, whom he did not name, would be found spending quite as much as any republican in the field
 The speech brought on heated debate during which Senator Moses, republican, New Hampshire, mana ger of General Woods Washington headquarters, made general denial that excessive funds had been used in the Wood candidacy or that any money had been spent except 'legi- timately and necessarily"
 Calling on all candidates to tell the country voluntarily how much they were spending ard where it was coming from, Senator Borah cit ed newspaper reports that the Wood promoters had pledged a campaign fun dof $1,000,00 0that testimonials" endorsing General Wood were being bought in Indiana for $250 each. and that every vote castfor the Wood or Lowden candidates in the recent South Dakota primaries represented an expenditure of $10. Such situ- ation, said the senator, forecast q "saturnalia of corruption" unless congress acted.
 In the course of the debate the question of third term for Presi- dent Wilson was mentioned by Sena- tor Ashurst, democrat, of Arizona who said that Eff any democrat were seeking q third term, the people ought to know of it and oppose it. Senator Borah replied that he had evidence which convinced him the president was trying for another nomination.
 To Limit Expenses.
 Senator Borah's speech was made in support of bill he introduced to limit the convention expenditures of any candidate to $10,000 in each state, to compel any person or cor poration making a contribution of more than $10,000 to give the dona- ton publicity through the attorney general and to require each candi- date to make public within Is days before the convention and again within 30 days after the convention of a complete list of contribution, $2O, O,OOO fine and two years imprison-
 Another bill of the same general U, special subcommittee, but never act ed on, was re-introduced by Senator Pomerene, democrat, of Ohio and Senator Kenyon, republican, lceva, suggested that resolution be adopt ed in the near future for con- gressional investigation of expendi- lures this year.
 Political Debate.
 Senator Borah's charges, which were made in presenting his bill for limitation of pre-convention expen- ditures, started general political debate in which senators on both sides of the chamber joined.
 Reading a published story that testimonials" endorsing Major Gem eral Leonard Wood were being pur- chased in Indiana at the rate of $2.5O apiece. Senator Borah said he had been advised that "plenty of affi- davits to the same effert were on file in a neighboring state."
 "If these men who have supposed that we can purchase the nomination are beginning by paying $2.50 for "testimonials," Senator Borah said, "what will they pay for votes?
 General Woods managers state that the managers for Governor Low den are spending more money than they are. That is their defense. | am inclined to think that that IS true. There are some evidences of it.
 Here is the shameless situation Certain candidates are charged with having made enormous expenditures and they apparently have turned themselves over to coterie of men of vast wealth and are permitting these men to conduct their campaign. To the man in the street it has ev- cry appearance of an attempt eo deliberately control with money the national convention" Senators Thomas of Colorado and Ashurst of Arizona, democrats, ask- ed Senator Borah to give the names of democrats who were spend1ne large sums of money and the speakTI CT said he would do so it the rroEs CT time. {. ss
 "If knew any demdcrat III was spending money exees41y@ x said Senator Ashurst, II sAo0M d1n it my duty to see that he d1&n
 some details he might othexyi And if thought any deznNex41 trying to get third tn s .!!.