New-York tribune., 1920-05-25
Expense Fund
Probe Aimed
AT Gen. oOd

to date. They have been subpnnacd
to appear before the committee.
Mr. Hitchcock said he had had moth,
ing to do with publicity and, in answer
to questions, explained that his work
was advisory and supervisory. The
extensive advertising campaign had
been conducted and fiananced through
the Chicago headquarters, he said, a
son of Billy Sunday being in charge of
publicity. Mr.. Hitchcock said his own
function was chiefly to interest po-
litical leaders throughout the country,
men he had known in former cam
paigns, in the Wood cause.
Opposed Contests
81 did not approve the policy of con-
testing for those states which had
favorite sons and asked to be relieved
of responsibility as to them" Mr..
Hitchcock explained. 81 did not APP
prove that program and have never
set up a contesting delegation"
The New York headquarters sent
$4,000 to Alabama and Georgia was the
only other state South t. which funds
were sent from New York so far as he
knew. Mr.. Hitchcock said He said
he thought $4,000 was sent to
Georgia, because it was reported the
opposition was flooding the state with
money. Mr.. Hitchcock could not tell
who the opposition was, except to say
ii was "the other candidates" he
named Henry Lincoln Johnson, negro,
as leader of the opposition
1--WE are contestees in Georgia. said
Mr.. Hitchcock. ''In Florida an unin-
structed delegation was named, as
sumed to be for Wood because IT'S
leaders had said they were for him,
and there is contest against that
delegation. The so-called Wood dele
cation in Mississippi is contestng
against an uninstructed delegation.
That Wood delegation in Mississippi is
not, in my judgment. legal, and | have
had nothing to do with it,
The real headquarters are at Chi
cago, where General Wood is. 1t has
assumed general jurisdiction and
financial control is centered in Chi
cago. The New York headquarters at
one time were very large. but several
weeks ago a reduction began for want
Of money. | regarded them as unnec-
cssarily large, but did not interfere
| found headquarters in various cities
| don't know the expenses or salaries
paid. Naturally, I do not get any
salary. receive no money whatever
from the Woods organization. The
Leonard Wood League had headquar-
the New York general headquarters.
The league merely turned in funds to
the treasurer of the campaign COM
mittee Circulars were sent extern
sively asking for large and small con-
trbutions, and many came"
The examination of Hitchcock was
conducted chiefly by Reed. The Re-
publican members sat silent for the
most part, Senator Spencer occasional
ly interposing a question to protect
the witness from Reeds police court
methods. Hitchcock, however, didn't
need help. He isn't excitable. His
lack of knowledge about the Wood
campaign annoyed Reed great deal
Reed whispered few words to Louis
Seibold. political correspondent of
The New York World" who some time
back charged that eight rich men had
underwritten the Wood campaign for
81 000,0 900 and then demanded Of
Hitchcock how much A. A. Sprague had
contributed to the Wood fund. Hitch
cock said he did not know, and further
said he never had heard one word
about any meeting of rich men to
finance the Wood boom. Seibold took
the stand and admitted three of the
eight rich men he had named denied
contributing to the Wood fund. He
declined to give UP the source Of infor-
nation on which his story was based.
Fine Teamwork
The teamwork of Kenyon and the
Democrats was best illustrated, when
Manager Moore, of the Cox campaign,
testified. The witness had free rein in
telling about his candidate. Little in
terest was displayed in what he said.
Then the Democrats asked about the
Republican campaign, and Kenyon
wanted to know who could tell about