Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-22
"WiII Be Thankful for ST.
0OO,0OO," He Tells Probe
Committee of Senate.
SAYS NO LIMIT PLACED
ON INDIVIDUAL GIFTS
Ex-Ambassador Reports Total Re
ceipts to Date to Be
S12S,s21.S9.

FTdIkIE dOfHltlIiiS tiidN 'iS ''tAS WV ~
raise money for the democratic cam
paign James w. Gerard of New York,
chairman of the democratic finance
committee. testified when he appeared
today before the Senate committee in
vestigating campaign expenditures, that
no limit had been set on individual con-
tributions.
Mr.. Gerard expressed the opinion,
however. that s2,000.000 was enough to
finance a national political campaign
He said he would advise the return OF
any funds in excess of that amount,
but declared he had no idea the demo-
Gratis would be successful in raising any
such sum.
Il will be thankful" he said. "if I
can get a million"
Calls $15,OOO.O 900 "ShockinE.''
a sum so large as s15.00O.o0o. he
said, the amount which Gov. Cox had
charged the republicans were seeking to
raise "to buy the election" would shock
the public conscience.
Mr.. Gerard testified that he did not
know of any sinister influences seek
ing to raise funds for the republican
garding that charge.
The witness, who was the former
United States ambassador to Ger.
many. and before that member OF
the New York supreme court, told
the committee that he had undertaken
the job of raising funds for the DEM
ocratic campaign "at the eleventh
hour. or. rather, at quarter to T.
He said that he had received tele-
gram from Gov. Cox. democratic nom-
p.ly hi 10 n "a.
quest which would be made of him
by Senator Pat Harrison. That re-
quest was to take the chairmanship
of the finance committee.
Questions by Senator Kenyon. chair
man of the Investigating committee,
brought out that Mr.. Gerard formed
a committee of fifteen to aid in the
work, all leading attorneys. some OF
them representing big corporations,
bankers and financiers.
the committee are held in the Bankers
Club on Broadway, of which Mr..
Gerard Is a member.
Receipts to Date. 12s,s21.s0.
Mr.. Gerard laid before the commit
tee a book furnished him by Mr..
Marsh, the treasurer of the demo-
cratic national committee, showing
that the total receipts up to yester-
day afternoon . from so1 ss some time IN jury
After Mr.. Gerard completed his
testimony William Boyce Thompson.
chairman of the ways and means
committee Of the republican national
committee, took. the stand and was
questioned regarding his organiza-
tion and the methods adopted for
raising money. He told the commit
tee that he had become convinced that
with proper organization in all the
states it would be possible to obtain
enough subscriptions and raise
enough money and at the same time
buttons. He insisted that his ways
and means committee was not Wall
street committee, but that it had on
it men from the various sections of
the country.
IF there is any New York commit
tee" he said, ''the democrats have 1t
and we have not"
Mr.. Thompson charged that Gov.
Cox. the democratic nominee, had
made his money in Wall street Sc
curities, in Ohio City Gas. in the
Pure Oil Company and other COM
lin Roosevelt and Thomas L. Shad-
bourne could contribute the whole
democratic fund If they desired. He
testified that Gov. Cox's charges about
fund of fifteen and then thirty millions
of dollars was all bunk"
DO you know that Gov. Cox never
got a dollar by speculation. a crooked
dollar, in any way"' asked Senator
Reed.
NO" replied Mr.. Thompson. "but it
IS bunk for him to talk about the
evils of Wall street when he is a
millionaire"
Mr.. Gerard First Witness.
Mr.. Gerard was the first witness
called at the reopening of the in
auiry here today. Examined by Sena-
tor Kenyon. Mr.. Gerard said he had
become head of the democratic finance
committee on September and had
asked Charles b. Alexander. Allan A
Ryan, John B. StanchfUd, Morgan j
O'Brien, Thomas L. Chadbourne, VIII.
liam Church Osborn, r. Thornton
Wilson, Frank NJ. Patterson. Frank
Crocker, George Gordon Battle, Mrs
Daniel O,Day, Gordon Auchincloss
Percy Strauss, Paul Fuller. jr., and
some Others to assist him.
How did you overlook Barney Ba.
ruch in making your list?" asked
Chairman Kenyon.
Il asked Mr.. Baruch if he would
serve" Mr.. Gerard replied. land he
told me he did not care to do So
The witness said the committed
named included only New Workers. but
that he was endeavoring to form a To-
cal committee in each state.
No Individual Limit.
Are you limiting the amount O.
funds you will take from a single
jndividual?" asked Chairman Kenyon
No"
Take any amount you can get?"
ANY amount / can get"
Asked for names of persons in Other
states assisting the national finance
committee. Mr.. Gerard produced ;
bulky package of papers.
They are to raise all the none.
they can get in the states? Chairman
kenyon asked
Yes"
Would Refuse $4,000, 900.
Would you take S15,000.000 if yo,
got it?"
NO; that would be too large. S,
great a sum would shock the public
conscience and insure the defeat ot
the party"
Mr.. Gerard added that he had raised
sl2S,000 SO far, and declared that I
s 100000 total would be enough
for the democratic national campaign
and that he would "be thankful t
get Il million
Mr.. Gerard testified that the nationa
fund would be separate from state cam
pdign financing, adding that he did no
know anything about the local organi
cations.
Senator Kenyon questioned the wit
hess as to the identity of the persons
serving on the national finance commit
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