Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-09
SECRET SERVICE
AGENTS TO SEARCH
FOR VOTE BUYERS
From Now Until Election Detec-
tives Will Comb State for
Election Frauds.
BOTH PARTY LEADERS
TO HELP CLEAN HOUSE

Secret service agents IN the employ oi
the government and under the direction oi
the Department of Justice will. early next
week, come TO Delaware 10 watch for any
attempt that may be mado to buy votes or
the arrangement for the same ON election
day. Thus announcement today from the
United States District Attorneys office,
combined with the fact that all Of the
Democratic candidates have agreed 10
sign the pledge to prevent bribery, pro-
posed by the Clean Elections Committee
and the request of Charles Warner and
Mrs. Leila Nj Jores. chairmen of the Re
publican State committees to all Republic
can candidates TO sign the anti-briberv
pledge, indicates IN the minds of political
observers of both parties he beginning ni n
new regime IN the conduct of elections IN
Delaware.
Up until this time. both parties have
been accused of using money to corrupt
the ballot and win elections But from now
on, warned by the experience of some
politicians in the West, it is expected that
those who wish 10 buy elections will he IN
chned to 60 a little bit slower and more
cautious. in attempting to buy votes.
District Attorney James III Hughes, Jr.,
ISSUED the following statement:
Il have Just received Instructions from
the Department e Justice, calling atten-
tlon TO the Corrupt Practices act Of 1918.
THIS act provides as follows:
"(That whoever shall promise, offer, or
give or cause to be promised, offered or
gwen. ANY money or ohter thing Of value, or
shall make or tender any contract, under
taking, obligation, gratuity or security for
the payment of money or for the delivery
or conveyance Of anything of value 10 any
person. either to vote or withhold his vote
or to vote for or against any candidate, ar
whoever solicits, accepts, OF receives any
MONEY or other thing of value IN cousidera-
tion Of his vote for or against any candi-
date for Senator or representative or dele
gate IN Congress at any primary or gem
cral or special election, shall bc fired not
more than 81 900 or imprisoned not more
than one year, or bOth.D
at IS understood that agents Of the
Bureau Of Investigation will be assigned
for the purpose of investigate on. All cam
paign expenditures which may have the
appearance Of having been made for Inn
proper purposes under the above law.
These agents will also scrutmize the con-
duct Of all persons paying or receiving
monies for any campaign purposes with
the view OF determining the real intent OF
tffe parties
Il shall make an immediate request
upon the department for a sufficient num-
ber Of secret service men to cover the
State.
AInplifying this statement Mr.. Hughes
said:
II am very much Interested IN dome
everything possible TO insure as clean an
election as possible IT. will not matter
who the guilty party is, if there Is evidence
of vote buying, shall prosecute him. Ont
Of the important features Of the Corrupt
Practices act is that it directs aD investlga-
ton of the intent OF theperson caught buy
ing votes and tins opens a wide range OF IN
vestigatlon.
The Republican State committees at
their meeting yesterday afternoon indors-
ed the activities Of the Clean Elections
! Committee inits effort TO bring about clean
elections Charles Warner. State char.
man. said today that it didn't matter
! whether it was the Clean Elections Com
mittee or what committee 1t was, thai
the Republican State Committee was n
favor OF the movement and would support
It
At conference attended by the STATE
and Congressional Democratic candidate:
. this week, il WAS agreed that all candidate
should sign pledge to prevent election
frauds.