Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-31

propaganda IN America
Committee in FruitIess,
Search to Substantiate,
Gov. Cox's Charges
( CHICAGO. August 31.-Fruitless
search for trace of the $4,000. 600
fund which Gov. Cox charged the re-
publican party was seeking in IAN
attempt to corrupt the American
electorate and buy the presidency"
was the result of yesterdays session
of the Senate committee Investigating
campaign expenditures after exam
lining at length viii H. Hays, repub-
lican national chairman, and Homer
S. Cummings, former chairman of the
democratic national chairman.
The committee heard Representa-
tive NJ. D. Flood of Virginia. chair
man of the democratic conEressionaI
Representative Joseph L.. Rhipeck of
kentucky. treasurer of the committee.
Outstanding Points.
Outstanding points in, the, maze of
figures through which the committee
struggled were:
Testimony by Mr.. Hays that the re-
publican national committees budget
for the, presidential campaign called
for expenditure of F$a-079.O3720.
Declaration by Mr.. Cummings that.
allowing for the INCREASED cost of
printing. clerical hire!f rents. trans
portation and all necessities. of a na-
ttonal campaign, national commit
tee should be able to stage "a fair,
decent and stifr camDaisn- with rea-
that amount of money, Fhe3 said, the
national chairman need mot worry
over finances.
Mr.. Hays also testified the repub-
lican national committee was seeking
to raise approximately $l.000.000 to
their local campaigns making a total
OF slightly more than $4.D00.000u in
the republican campaign chest for
all purposes
Calls Amount; Excessive.
MIR. Cummings declared he believed
this amount was excessive. and point
ed to the 1915 campaign. saying he
learned in his. home state Of Con-
nectieut therepublicans spent $3.50. 900
was too much for a commonwealth Of
that size. $50
IF you let the state; committees
run Wild he said. you get an ac-
cumulated expenditure which in itself
is an outstanding evidence. of cor
just what is going to happen to the
republicans this year.
Has either party any monopoly in,
this. practice" asked Senator Edge.
There is no monepolys upon the
SYSTEM" rejoined Mr. Cummings, but
lican success in that direction:
Refuse to Discuss Details.
Mr.. Hays and MT Cummings re-
fused to discuss details of their COM
mittee financing. asserting that; as
chairmen they, had. only a. general
knowledge of tsach sabjectssand that
the books and records off the, COM
mittee treasurefs would have. to- be
relied upon in that respeet.-
Neither knew off any, large indi7
vidual contributions and4 Mr.. Hays
was rather positive, that the repub-
iican plancto limit individual gifts to,
$1,000 was being caTriedsout: suceess-
ceptions to, the rules the, largest being
for $4,000. twoo for $4,000 each and
the other thirty-five fog lesser
amounts
Mr.. Cummings explained. that the
organization Of which he was. chair
man was poverty strickene when he
assumed that Office. and that he left
to-, his successor $3.50 in cash and. a
metz Indebtedness of slightly more
TIM $1O0.000.s
Tells. Of Democratic Find.
A charge, by Mr.. Hays that as early
as July, 1919, the democratic commit
tee had installed an elaborate fund
gathering organization in the Bond
building in Washington was ex-
planned by Mr.. Cummings as a bureau
for both propaganda and finance. He
said it grew from a hope but was
reduced in size when it. was found
that the overhead charges for MAIN
tanning the. organization, exceeded the
receipts by from $4,000 to $4,000 a
month.
. The two chairmen agreed that leg
islation looking to federal control Of
presidential campaigns was, desirable.
Senator Pomerene argued that Con-
gress was powerless at present be.
cause the Supreme. Court had held
that presidential electors were state
officials.
+ A suggestion that constitutional
amendment might be necessary to
give Congress oversight Of presiden-
tial campaigns brought FROM, Mr..
Hays proposal. that the parties
such a change in the basic law.
7 Hays Asks Congress Aid.
Earlier. in the day Mr.. Hays had
hoped that this committee will
recommend the passage Of a, bill regu-
lating primary election expenses in
national, congressional and Senatorial
campaigns"
He also favored having all, primary
elections for federal officers held on q
single day in every state.
Representative Flood estimated
100000 would be required by his
democratic congressional COMMITTEES
to conduct it's efforts properly. but
presented figures to show that he had
received only $500 in subscriptions.
He turned the money over to the
democratic national committee. he
said. and expected that committee. to
finance his congressional campaigns.
Public Printer Helped
Questioning of, Representative Flood
brought out that he had had, printed
by the public printer at Washington
1900 900 copies of speeches by, dem
ocratic congressman. He had pledged
his committee to pay $5.091.16 for the
printing, he said. The speechasa- Ware
being sent out under. congressional
frank. thereby eliminating postage
bills. His committee. he. said. would
need $4,000 for its administration
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