Evening star., 1924-10-16
The "Slush Fund" INQUIRY,

Senator Borah will today in Chicago
open the session of the Senate's spe-
cfal committee charged with the duty
OF inquiring into the source and vol
ume and use of campaign funds. 1t
Is an unusual proceeding. thus to
meet and investigate in the midst of
the campaign, veritably on the eve
or election, but circumstances have
arisen which makes it not only proper
but desirable to do so. Charges have
been made that the Republican cam
paign fund is too large for legitimate
purposes and that it comes mainly
from interested" sources and in
amounts beyond the proper limits of
individual gifts.
In his preliminary statement re.
gardins the program of the commit
tees work Senator Borah says that
each party organization will be asked
TO report how much money it has
received and from whom and how
1t has been spent. If these reports
suggest the the need of further in
quiry the accounting books of the
organizations will be called for and
examined. Thus it appears that
no line will be drawn between the
parties. but that all three will be
asked to reveal their resources.
The only question involved, as a
practical matter, is whether any of
the money given for campaign pur-
poses is being used or is intended
for use corruptly. The purposes or
wishes Of givers cannot easily be
determined. The influence of large
gifts upon the policies and practices
of the parties cannot be ascertained
find out to what fflegitimate ends,
If any, this money has been or is
to be put. BY an illegitimate end
plainly is meant the purchase Of
votes. And votes are not bought, if
ever, weeks or even many days ahead
Of voting time.
For the meeting of legitimate cam
paign expenses large sums are re-
quired by all of the national parties.
These needs have been stated re-
peatedly and are supposedly fairly
we'll understood by the people. No
body expects speakers to travel about
at their own expense, or clerks to
work without compensation, or print
ers to deliver literature" even at
cost, or hotel and Office building own
ers to give headquarters rooms free
f charge.
There may be some political ad-
vantage to those who bring the
charges in any revelation that may
be made that Interests" suspected
of having a corrupt influence upon
politics have given heavily, in sums
beyond the limits set by law or in
artificially distributed amounts. At
least, there may be an argument in
the revelation. But there is no proof
OF corruption in such a showing. Any
Interest" is entitled to express itself
financially in aid Of a campaign which
represents its hopes and wishes. The
third-party campaign, for example, is
supported by certain groups and
interests which have been can.
vassed vigorously for funds. This
present inquiry Will doubtless reveal
them. Save for possible embarrass-
ments. there will be no shameful or
irreparably damaging effect of such
q disclosure.
A fear Of possible dishonesty on the
part Of the electorate is behind the
demand for this eleventh-hour in
quiry, perhaps a hope of discourag-
ing and cutting off further gifts to
the campaign funds of the major
parties, particularly the Republican
party. But the campaign is under
full headway and there will be no
Gripping effect upon any of the
party arrangements in this proceed
ing. Short of scandalous revelations,
which are altogether unlikely, the
Investigation will be utterly lacking
in practical results.