The Washington herald., 1920-04-04
HOOVER LOOMS
BIG IN MICHIGAN
ON EVE OF VOTE

4
have all visited the State personally
and urged their own campaigns with
vigor to large and enthusiastic au-
diences. Wood and Lowden have
headquarters in Detroit, and to
judge from the reports obtainable at
each headquarters, the sign stand
ing room only" has been displayed
at the meetings addressed by these
statesmen.
On the Democratic side, Attorney
General Mitchell Palmer is the only
active candidate. He has some very
strong Supporters in Detroit and is
practically alone in the race. MIR.
McAdoo's name appears upon the
ticket, but against his protest.
Friends of Bryan and of Edwards
have filed their names but no work
is being done for them.
Effect of Newberry Trial.
The political scout, threading the
mazes of the Michigan political
jungle. looks naturally for some evil
dence of the effect produced by the
prosecution. conviction and sem
tence of Senator Newberry and his
aids in the recent Senatorial cam
paign. 1t is not overstating the
case to say that the revelations of
the enormous expenditures of money
made for the purpose of capturing
this Senatorial seat tshave amazed and
shocked the world.
One might expect to find in Mich
igan a widespread feeling of re-
sentiment against either the indi-
vidual candidate. the political fac
tion or the political party which
brought this disrepute upon the
State. / cannot. however, discern
any general feeling of such resent
ment. 1t is safe to say that In
the business community of Detroit
there is an inclination to look upon
the Newberry tactics as justified
by the situation which confronted ID
him. Not merely his friends, but
people in general, argue that he
had to prosecute campaign
against a man of enormous wealth
and of phenomenal personal noto-
riety; the, plea is made that the
Ford agents throughout the State
constituted a political machine: that
the Ford automobile advertisements
in the country papers chargeable
to his business, were in fact po-
llitically effective; that much of the
work of arousing public interest
(which could only be accomplished
in Newberry's behalf by the ex-
lpenditure of money, was done for
Ford by the mere everyday routine
work of advertising his car and his
tractors. Perhaps an even more
just excuse is that the Federal law
limits the expenditures of a candi-
date for the Senatorship to a
ridiculously inadequate sum. This
lis unquestionably true No man
could reach the voters of any con-
siderable State by the most eco
nomically conducted canvass and
still keep within the limit of ex-
penditures prescribed by law.
The Charge of Partisanskip.
Another plea generally urged In
defense of Newberry and his party
Is that the prosecution has been
conducted by Democratic Federal
officials under the instruction OF
a Democratic administration. II
scandalous and even criminal opera
tions have been uncovered by the
prosecution, the question is still
raised why like investigation has
not been made into the Ford ex-
penditures.' To this, the Democrats
respond by the sworn statement OF
the chairman of the Democratic
State Central Committee that the
total expenditures in Henry Ford's
1 hnh hxr
to but $53.2S4. Moreover, the COM
mittee insists that IL the admins
tration at Washington does not care
Ito look into the Ford expenses, II
Is entirely within the power and is
indeed, the duty of the Republican
executive of the State, Gov. Sleeper
to order such an investigation. AS
yet, however, the governor shows
no indication of responding to this
| challenge.
| While the Republican defense of
Newberry cannot be considered ade-
/ quate, II nevertheless is sufficiently
strong to prevent any very general
public indignation against that
party from showing itself. Before
Il leaving New York / heard 1t fire.
i quently suggested that the record
in the Newberry} case, coupled with
the exposure of the rather over
lavish expenditures by the commit
tee having in charge Gen. Woods
campaign for the nomination, would
be of extreme injury to that gen.
4 ueman's. chances. Gen. Wood him.
self seems to have takon this view
and has bitterly denounced Senator
H Borah for having brought up at this
juncture the question of campaign
i expenditures. Gov. Lowden, who
also is fortunate enough to possess
an ample barrel and unfortunate
enough to have that fact generally
known, joins. in this resentment,
but ] cannot find in Michigan any
indication that there will be any
! parallel drawn to their hurt-be-