New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-09
McAdoo w ants
y. S. to Finance
All Campaigns
Favors Paying Expenses in
National Elections Out of
the Federal Treasury
to Prevent Corruption

William G. WeAdoo, runner-up at
the Democratic national convention in
San Francisco, declared last night at
a dinner of the National League Of
Masonic Clubs at the Waldorf Astoria
Hotel, that "as a private citizen" he
now felt free to make some suggestions
as to changes in the election laws.
In the first place all cam
paign expenditures in national cleo
tiongshould be paid out of the national
the buying Of the Presidency. In. the
second place the Presidential nonli-
nees should be chosen by direct
, primary in accordance with a national
law, instead of by the present method
in accordance with state laws, which
varied in their provisions.
In making his suggestion as to the
payment of Presidential campaign ex-
penses Mr.. McAdoo reminded his
audience that he recently had been
head of the Treasury Department He
did not remind his audience that the
expense attendant upon running for
the Presidency had been given by him
as one of his reasons for not wishing
his name to be brought before the
San Francisco convention.
II have been asked" he said, address
ing the members of the league, "to
talk of politics, but it doesn't make
any difference to me whether you are
Democrats or Republicans so long as
you are Americans. I feel the urge to
speak Of several matters connected
With the coming election.
Gives Credit to Senate
zone of the things that the Senate
did--one Of the few intelligent things
that the Senate ever did-was to con
tinue the power of the Senate commit.
tee in the investigation of campaign
funds. The Importance of this to the
country is obvious.
Zone thing we can never stand for
and that Is the purchase of the Pres
ace in America to-day is so great as
the corrupt use of money in elections
"You cannot realize what corrup.
ton in elections may cost. If an in.
terest that puts up money gets back
a fraction of cent as q rebate in
payment of taxes or similar favorit.
ism it is repaid ten times or fifty
times or thousand times for its con.
tribution.
There are many illustrations Of
what the corrupt use of money will
do. Men who put up great sums oil
money-not all of them, but some Of
them-seek to have the favor re-
turned.
"For my part, believe that we
should at once consider the wisdom OF
| drastic change in our national cleo.
| tion laws.
"The present system of private con.
tributions is utterly wrong. The cost
Of national elections should be borne
by the national Treasury. Then the
candidate would be spared the humil
iation Of begging for funds and the
cost of the election would be reduced
perhaps to one-ffth Of what it now is
"A law that would take campaign
expenditures out Of the Treasury woulc
save the American people fifty or 9
thousand times what it would cost"
Calls Primary System Disgraceful
| AS to the change he would make il
the Presidential primary election, max
ing it truly national election, gov.
srned by the provisions Of nationa
law, Mr.. McAdoo said:
| Nothing is more disgraceful thar
the present Presidential primary unde,
the different laws Of the different
states. We must have national prim
airy wherein the choice of the peopl,
shall be the nominee and not tn,
nominee Of bossed convention"
The Rev. Warren w. Giles, of Eas1
Orange, previous speaker, had re
fsrred to Great Britain as the natior
which saved the United States by it,
feet. Mr.. McAdoo declared that h,
wanted to differ with this speaker "em
phatically."
"Great Britain never saved this Re
public" he asserted. nor was it saved
by Italy or France or any other of tn.
Allied powers. The United State,
never was in any danger so long as i
had it's own feet"
$50 in Shade at Nogales. Arix.
NOGALES. Ariz.. July Stores
fires which broke out in Aye differen
sections near here to-day caused TIL,
! thermometer to climb to $50 degrees Ii
the shade, the highest mark eva
reached at Nogales.