Evening star., 1926-06-13
SLUSH FUND PROBE
May BRING FIGHT
ON WARE IF ELECTED
Senate Leaders of Both
Parties Expect Contest
as Final Result.
DEMOCRATS WILL USE
ISSUE IN CAMPAIGN
Investigation of Illinois Primary
Expected to Follow
Pennsylvania.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Revelations Of enormous eXpendi-
lures on behalf of the candidates for
the Republican nomination for the
Senate in the recent Pennsylvania
primary campaign have fallen like a
thunderbolt on the Senate.
Senators who have followed the
Testimony which has been given dur
ing the last four days before the
Senate investigating committee last
night declared their disgust with what
had happened in Pennsylvania. Such
expressions came from leading Re-
publicans as we'll as from the Demo-
Gratis.
The effect of the investigation now
being conducted may be two-fold. In
the first place, an effort may be made
to amend the Federal corrupt prac-
, tices act so as to put a stop to the
wholesale use of money in elections,
such as was recently practiced in
Pennsylvania. In the second place,
the Senate may itself undertake to
deal with the matter if Representative
William S. Ware, the successful can
didate for the nomination, is elected
next November and presents himself
to the Senate at the opening of the
Seventeen Congress-, in December.
Leaders Silent on Stand.
Democratic leaders as we'll as Re
publican were unwilling to commit
themselves at this time as to what
their attitude would De if Mr.. Ware S
right to a Senate seat were challenged
because Of the excessive expenditure
OF money in his campaign TOR the
nomination.
Wen cross that bridge when We
come to it," was the comment OF one
of the most influential Republicans in
the Senate. This Senator, while he
would not allow himself to be quoted,
declared that If the testimony given
before the Senate committee is true,
then pennsylvania presents an awful
mess" which has disgusled men on
both sides OF the chamDer.
Senator Robinson OF Arkansas,
Democratic leader OF the Senate, said
that efforts would be made 10 draft
legislation TO prevent the recurrence
of the alleged corruption in the Penn
sylvania PRIMARIES. lie said that al
ready a plan Tor reaching This MAJ
ter through Federal legislation had
been presented to him, and that ii
possible it would be perfected and in
troduced in the form or bill. he
aOInllleu, however. lilG OllllCulty "a
reaching primary nominations Tor the
Senate or House through Federal deg
islation, in view OF tne decision OF
the Supreme Court i'll the case OF
Truman II. Newberry, whose right to
q seat in the Senate was contested by
Henry Ford after The election IN
Michigan IN 1913, on the ground Oh
excessive expenditures OF money The
court practically held that Congress
could not deal with the nominations
made in the States. Senator Robinson
pointed out.
Senate Sole Judge.
The Senate under the Constitution,
Is the sole Judge Of the qualifications
Of its members. 1t might itself re-
jeCt Mr.. Ware if a majority of the
Senators held that his election had
been brought about through corrup-
tion. The special Senate committee,
headed by Senator Reed of Missouri,
now making the investigation into the
expenditures in the Pennsylvania
primary, will make its report to the
Senate dealing with this election long
before Mr.. Ware can present himself
with his certificate, provided he be
elected in the Fall, as there now
seems every reason to expect he
will be.
Just how the mater would be
brought before the Senate is not quite
certain. Gov. PinchOt, one Of the un-
successful contestants for the nomi-
nation and one of those who charged
corruption against his opponents, Ware
and Senator Pepper, might file a con-
test, particularly if he should make
the race for the Senate as an in
pendent next Fall and should be de-
feated by Ware. The Democrats haI e
nominated former Secretary of Labor
flames B. Wilson, and he, If defeated,
might, too, file a contest against the
seating of Ware.
The nomination of Mr.. Ware was
hailed as a great wet" victory. The
turn the matter has taken gives salts
faction to some of the drys, who would
like nightly to see Mr.. Ware refused
q seat in the Senate. On the other
hand, the expenditures on Dehaf or
the candidates who were indorSed or
approved by the AntiSaloon League
give promise OF being greater than
those for Ware and Edward l.. Beidle-
man, his running mate for governor
The expenditures for the Pepper
Fisher ticket already have been shown
to exceed a million dollars. John
S. Fisher was the only gubernatorial
candidate who had the Endorsement
of the drys. and Senator Pepper was
declared to be satisfactory" to the
, Anti Saloon League. The expen6i-
lures for Gov. Pinchot, the bone-dry
candidate, have been estimated at
from $4,000 to 100000. The eX-
penditure of money for Gov. Plnchot,
however, has paled into insignificance
when compared to the expenditures
for the other candidates.
Newberry Fund Comparatively Small.
When Senator Newberry's right to
be seated was attacked, it was
charged that there had been expended
for his nomination and election some-
thing like S195,000.
1--WE ought to apologize to Mr.
Newberry If we are to accept the
result Of the Pennsylvania election" !"
said Democratic Senator last night.
A. defense which the senatorial
candidates, outside of Gov. Pinchot,
will make to charges Of excessive eX-
penditure in their campaigns will rest
on the fact that expenditures were
E:ado for the tickets" with which
they were allied and not for them
individually. For example, Senator
Pepper was on the ticket with Fisher
Nor governor. Smith for lieutenant
Continued on Page 4. Column 6.)