Evening star., 1924-04-07
CAMPAIGN "G|EtS
SCORED BY BORAH
Senator Declares Huge Con
tributions to Parties "Worse
Than Open Bribes."

| Cracking his whipIash over both
major political parties, Senator Borah,
| republican. of Idaho, yesterday f1ayed
their practice of accepting ''stupendous
sums" as worse than an "open bribe."
The Idaho senator connected cam
paign contributions with corruption
, in public Office" declaring: so long
as political parties seeking power tor
control of the government accept vast
contributions from those who are in
terested in matters OF Legislation or
administration, you will have sinister
and corrupt and controlled govern
ment,"
Senator Borah made his declaration
in an address before the students
conference on observance of law and
citizenship at Calvary Baptist Church
He said the recent startling revela-
| tons of "venality in public place |
were only a phase of the disrespect
for law which was spreading like
and would arouse the American
people.
Says People VIII Act.
When aroused. the senator said, the
American people have both the ca
pacity and the courage to purge the
nation of the sinking, secret, sordid
enemy which has been at work in our
midst. We should not for monent
lose faith in the ability Of the peoplc
TO govern. They can, and they will
cleanse their government. They can.
and they will, vindicate the faith OF
the fathers and justify the principles
n n W
built" In spite of the dark pic
ture," the speaker voiced his conf
dence in government" and reserve
Of character throughout this land"
Addressing a conference primarily
aimed a increasing observance Of the
prohibition law, Senator Borah con
| sdered unrest concerning prohibition
! as only part of the Decentralization
consequent upon the war;" and
| launched into his vigorous attack, not
only on corruption" in public office,
but upon the present system and
standards in American politics, re
gardless Of party" which he branded
| as ''deplorable."
learn" said Senator Borah, in his pre-
pared address, that a very large
sum of money was given to a high
official by party having business
with the government Well, what
| have we to say about an individual
having business or expecting to have
business with the government giving
a very large sum of money to the
political party which is in control, or ,
! is seeking control of the entire ma
chinery of the government? These
| stupendous sums contributed to a
| political party do not simply measure
| the individuals patriotic interest in
his party. You can buy influence with
a political party quite as effectively
| as you can with an individual. In the
latter instance it is still denounced,
| in the former instance it has become
| an accepted practice"
| Hits Big Contributions.
| Recounting recent testimony. which
| the speaker said concerned presenta-
tion of Large sums" to both poiiti-
cal parties, the senator declared
these gentlemen" who gave the
! money had not initiated the practice.
| They were doing what has become
an accepted practice and system IT.
this country" explained the speake er
so long as political parties seeking
power or control OF the government '
/ accept vast contributions from those
/ who are interested in matters of leg
| islation or administration, you will
| have sinister and corrupt and con
trolled government.
| In these days the government
/ deals with all the vast concerns of
business. coal, railroads, ships oil,
tariffs, and it is simply intoIerable
| that political parties accept vast
; contributions from those yitally in
| rereSted in these matters. 1t is still
! worse for the parties to go out and
solicit contributions from such indi-
viduals
For, repeat, these unusual sums are
not given merely because of the con-
| mon interest which partisans have in
their parties. Both political parties have
Tor years placed themselves in an
indefensible position in these mat
ters 1t all leads to that sinister and
subtle influence which does more 10
break down representati govern
ment than any specific instance or
open bribe. Besides, the open brib,.
follows inevitably as result of the
former practice"
Senator Carter Class of Virginia,
who rose from sick bed to attend
| the meeting, bespoke his adherence
to the cause of prohibition and his
intention to back up enforcement
legislation. Referring to the recent
appropriation of S19,50O,O00 to aug
ment the coast guard rum chasing
, fleet. the senator said If such apprn-
priation proved insufficient he would
vote for an increase of S26,oo0, 900
or more
Fred E. Smith, chairman of the cit
lzenS committee of one thousand ana
chairman of the meeting. also intro
duced informally W. r. Galliher. chair
man of the Washington committee on
arrangements; Patrick Murphy MaIiu
or pennsylvania, student chairman o.
| the students conference, and Robert
hedges of Florida, recording secre-
! tary.
Adopt Campaign Program.
The conference concluded last night
by final adoption of program to con-
tinue the campaign through formula
| tion of students citizens committee
| of $50, to be headed by a central com
| mittee of seven. 1t was arranged the
! committee should cooperate with the
| citizens committee of one thousand.
| the Y. W. c. A, the Y. NJ. C. A. the In
| tercollegiate Prohibition Association.
student councils and "all other student
agencies in order to carry forward
the program of this conference"
! In the findings" of the conference
the attitude of the students concern
ing prohibition was set forth al
| length and reasons were enumerated
| why the Volstead act should be en-
forced
A summary declared the conferees
believe that unless a law can endure
the closest scrutiny and the most yio
lent criticism it should be repealed
| and we acknowledge the possibility of
| remaining a good citizen while urS;ne
, repeal of the prohibition amenagnngt
| in legal and orderly way. But we
confer that title of good citizen or
an obJector only when he obeys the
| law as it now stands"
Would Have Navy
10 xyT