Evening star., 1926-06-10
S494,9s] WAS PAID
POLLS Watchers
WITNESS DECLARES
McGovern Ayers Third of
Ware and Pepper Voters
Got $40 Each.
SAYS h,0RIN SOUGHT
BETTER ELECTION LAW
Tells Committee System of Machine
Politics in Pennsylvania
Is Statewide.
BY g. GOULD LINCOLN

A taIe OF amazing political tDlI up
tion in western Pennsylvania was un
folded today before the Senate investi
eating committee by Col. Charles c.
McGovern. western manager for Gov.
Pinchot in the recent Republican sen
atorial campaign.
Col McGovern estimated that there
had been expended by the Pepper and
Ware campaign committee a total of
s4a4900 for watchers at the polls
on election day in Allegheny County
alone.
He said that in the county there are
1.4l4 districts. and that the Ware peo-
pie had approximately 10 watchers to
a district. paid 80 each. The Pep
per watchers he estimated at 25 TO
district, receiving $40 each. The com
mittee asked Col. McGovern where he
got his information.
Names NORM as Source.
From NORM of Pittsburgh" replied
Col. McGovern. Mr. NORM was the
manager for Ware in Pittsburgh.
Was he complaining about the
large number of watchers the Pepper
people had as compared to the mum
her for Mr.. Nare?" the witness was
asked.
Col. McGovern replied that Mr..
NORM had worked hard to better the
election laws in Pennsylvania. He
said that when Mr.. NORM made this
estimate of watchers at the polls he
had asked Col McGovern to discuss
with Gov. Pinchot the possibility of
getting better election laws
Reports of the election returns in
Allegheny County showed that the
vote cast for Senator Pepper was
S0.436: for Mr.. Ware. the successful
contestant. 67,677, and for Gov. Pin
chot. 44,377.
Refused TO Pay Watchers.
Col. McGovern told the committee
that Gov, Pinchot had refused to have
any paid watchers at the polls
Senator Reed. Democrat, of Mis-.
souri,. chairman Of the committee,
called attention to the fact that the
total number of votes cast in AL
legheny County for Pepper and Ware
was only 14S,113. while the total mum.
her of paid watchers for these candi.
dates. receiving $40 piece, was
1890.
I'm other words" said Senator Reed.
"more than one-third OF the votors for
Pepper and Ware received $40 each for
their work as watchers on election
day"
Senator Reed figured that at this
ratio each vote had cost Senator Pep.
per S4.14 and Mr.. Ware 1921 in AL.
legheny County.
Charges Votes Were Bought.
Senator Reed asked the witness if
the use of paid watchers did not
amount really to paying for votes.
Yes replied Col. McGovern. He
explained that the families having
the largest number of voters are given
preference in the selection of paid
watchers. Many of the men appointed
as watchers and paid. he declared,
never go near the polls.
1t is pure commerce" said Col
McGovern, and common al! over the
State"
Col. McGovern was asked If the
people and the press did not protest
against such conditions. He replied
that they did but that they were in
the grip of political machine and
it had not been possible TO amend the
election laws because of the dOmina-
tion of the bosses in the State Legis-
lature. The machine. he said. is con-
trolled by Max Leslie, State Sena-
tor. in the West and by Ware in the
East.
Golf Sees Little Relief.
Senator Goff. Republican. of West
Virginia. at the conclusion Of Col.
McGovern's testimony this morning
summed up the situation, saying that
apparently there was no relief from
election frauds through the supervis-
'ors of the elections nor through the
courts, and Col. McGovern agreed
with him.
Discussing the failure Of Gov.
Pinchot to have paid watchers at the
polls on election day. Col. McGovern
said:
THE governor did not want a spoils
campaign conducted. He was against
having paid watchers and declared
that no State employees should be CO.
creed to vote for him..
DO YOU characterize the payment
of honest men who watch each other
at the polls as a spols campaign
asked Senator Reed, with underlying
sarcasm.
Col. McGovern said that the Pinchot
campaign committee had issued 5000
certificates for voluntary watchers at
the polls. and that many Of them had
served and reported Irregularities.
Holds Votes Were Bought.
You mean that the employment of
these watchers really means buying
their votes" said Senator Reed.
I'm a large measure, yes replied
AhCIoN cI H.
These paid watchers are permitted
by law in Pennsylvania, the witness
told the committee.
What do these watchers do?"
asked Senator Golf.
They stand in the polling places
and watch what Is going on" said
Col. McGovern. He said that the rail
vas sometimes put 40 fest away from
the Judges of the election and the
watchers stood behind this rail.
"A well trained election judge would
have no trouble in manipulating the
returns, would he?" asked Senator
Reed.
1T would not trouble an election
judge Of the strip type of politician
for a minute" said the witness.
Col. McGovern explained that the
strip" is a section of Pittsburgh
where there has been much corrup.
ton. Similar methods have been car
ried into other parts of Allegheny
County, he said.
They weigh the vote instead Of
counting it," said Col. McGovern. He
said that. for example, in the second
ward In the primary of lan1 when