Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-31
More Campaign Fiction

= REPRESENTATIVE BRITTEN, of ILL.,
y nois. has won the palm for conceivng
the choicest piece OF fiction which has yet
entered into the fight ever the presidency.
Ills legend about the use of SOS. 600 of Brit
ish gold to promote the candidacy of Gov
ernor Cox, the same to be spent by the
British embassy for political entertain
ment' in the interest of the Democratic
nominee. is 4 rare bit of imagining on the
part Of the Congressman, which, because OF
it's daring originality, deserved to live
longer than the ruthless politicians would
permit
The facts about the matter as usual. are
perfectly simple. The British government
which is more generous than o,u own in
the maintenance OF its foreign missions. dis
patched S6S,0O0 to Ambassador Geddes
This sum was TO he used. as the ambassa-
dor explains. TO pay the living expenses of
himself and his staff of something like
thirty people for whole year. Ii is a
modest sum, after all. for such purpose,
rs it is difficult for diplomat to live de-
Gently on $4,000 a year in Washington.
Somehow or other Mr.. Briten heard that
the British ambassador had received such
a sum and not knowing the exact purposes
TO which ii was to be put. it occurred to
this "stockyards' Congressman that II must
necessarily be intended 10 corrupt the cleo
torate of the United States. The British
ambassador is the accredited representative
OF his government in Washington and he
must present his credentials TO President
Wilson. Therefore, this diplomat is par
tsan of the President. and the money sent
him by" his government is intended to fur
Their the interests of MIR Wilson. Mr. Will
son is not a candidate for recollection, but
being a Democrat he is interested in the
election of Governor Cox. Therefore, the
doc. lN1.,, u
the President being a Cox partisan. the
British money undoubtedly was sent over
TO help elect the Governor OF Ohio
Nothing could be more logical than this.
The surprising part of the thing is that it
remained for the obscure Illinois Congress
man to reason the whole thing out. 1t
might have been suspected that Senator
Harding himself would have been the author
OF the charge or that Chairman Hays would
have seized the opportunity to array the
Irish vote" against Mr.. Cox by showing
that the expense money to maintain the
British embassy in Washington was in fact
slush fund, provided by the British gov
eminent 10 help elect the friend of the am
bassadors friend.
Mr. Britten is entitled to a decoration at
tho hands of the Irish republic" for hav-
ing exposed the mendacious method being
employed by the British government to lay
Il first mortgage upon the next President
of the United States Or, if Senator Hard
ing should be elected, in spite of the out
ragcous use OF British gold in political en-
tcr;ainment in behalf OF Governor Cox the
Senator owes il To the llinoisian to name
the latter Secretary of State, thereby giving
him the delightful privilege OF handing to
Ambassador Geddes his passports |, would
be great event in tho life OF Mr.. Britten
as head OF the State Department, TO demand
the recall OF the British diplomat on the
ground that the latter undertook TO prosti-
tute American politics by tho expenditure
OF $4,000 for the election Of Cox