Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-03
BY w. s. MANN.

Copyright 1920, by The Washington
starr
WASHINGTON, April s.1The high
cost OF nominations Is a~gitating the
the agitation has originated right
here in the national capital. Senator
Hiram johnson OF California. Senator
date for the Republican presidential
nomination, began to shout after the
Minnesota primaries. practically
charging hat the adherents of Gen.
Leonard Wood had corrupted cleo
ton. This was followed up q few
days later by Senator Borah of Idaho
q strong supporter of Senator john
son. The Idaho senator introduced
q bill limiting the amount which
may be expended In ~preconvention
campaigns for delegates. and proyid-
ing for "pitiless publicity" OF con-
trfbutlons to these campaigns for del
sgates.
Senator Borah began telegraphins
all over the country asking various
candidates. but particularly Wood
and Lowden, how much they and
their friends were spending In the
Presidential preferential primaries
William Gibbs McAdoo. former secre-
tary of the treasury, and himself a
receptive candidate for the Demo.
cratic nomination, expressed himself
as entirely favorable to the publicity
proposed by Senator Borah and also
TO q congressional investigation OF
past expenditures If the candidates
do not make them public.
How" ask the politicians lis n
candidate for the Presidential nom
ination going to cover all the states
where there are Presidential prefer
ential elections without spending q
considerable sum OF money!" 1t can't
be done. they say; to get the name of
q candidate and his platform and
personality before the people OF an
entire state takes real money. There
must be speakers, which mean tho
hiring of halls, etc. There must be
newspaper advertising, and printing
and mailing of letters, and a clerical
force TO handle all this business and
publicity men and workers of various
kinds and descriptions.
Either q candidate should have
the right to make his campaign in
the primaries as vigorously as he de-
sires. 1t Is contended, and the people
should have n right to get ell the in
formation about the candidate they
an. or the primary system Is a
failure.
The bill introduced by Senator
Borah to provide for publicity Of
contributions to the preconvention
campaigns, limits to $4,000 the g
kItkll0 amount WHICH may D0 GA
pended by any candidate or his sup
porters In any one state. There Is Il
proviso, however, that this shall not
cover the travelling expenses of the
candidate himself. his stationery and
postage, writing or printing (other
than the neWspapers), distributing
letters, circulars. and posters, and
telegraph and telephone service. But
1t does limit to $480,000 the cam
paign which may be made by any
presidential candidate and his sup
porters over the entire country, ex-
elusive of tho items mentioned.
Whether this total allowed is sufi.
Client to cover the country-or $40. .
900 Is enough to cover a state like
New York or Illinois, ma be debat-
able.
There is one thing, however, which
In Washington does not ppear de-
batable al all-publiclty In connec-
tion with expenditures In these cam
paigns and publicity in connection
with all contributions. The public Is
entitled to know how much money is
spent by the candidates and who
contributed the money. They will
then be able to Judge If the mere
expenditure of a large sum OF money
TO aid a candidate is a crime, and
also who and what stand back of this
or hat candidate for nomination.
The provisions of the Borah bill
are interesting as they relate to pub
licity. 1t Is made obligatory for any
contributor. person or corporation.
making a contribution of more than
800 to notify the attorney general
Of the United States of the contribu-
ton within one day after making the
contribution. The list Of contribu-
tors kept by the attorney general is
20 be open to public inspection at all
times. Every candidate for nomina-
ton for president must, within ff-
teen days prior to the convention, file
with the attorney general a state
ment Of all expenditures in his cam
paign, whether made by himself or
others in his interest. and he must