Evening star., 1926-04-11

Now these committees are required
to report quarterly in March, June
September and December, as we'll as
Immediately before and after an cleo
ton. This statement must be filed
with the clerk of the House not less
than 10 nor more than Is days be.
fore and within 80 days after the
date of the election.
These committees also are required
to report on January 1, covering all
receipts and expenditures for the pre-.
ceding calendar year.
Penalties Are Heavier.
The penalty clause in the new law
fixes penalties in excess of those in
the old law. This was done with a
view to putting more teeth in the law
In regard to candidates for the
House and Senate, the old law is
changed with respect to the amounts
respectively, that they may spend
Formerly the candidate for Repre-
sentative could extend not exceeding
$4,000 and a candidate for the Sen
ate not more than $4,000. The new
law furnishes two plans, which are
alternate.
Unless the laws of his State pre-
scribe a smaller amount as a maxi
mum limit of campaign expenditures
a candidate for the national House OF
Representatives may make expendi
lures up to $2,5O0, or an amount
equal to the amount obtained by mul
| tiplying cents by the total number
of votes cast in the last general elec
ton for all candidates for the office
which the candidate seeks, but in nc
event exceeding $4,000.
To illustrate this-In the blank
| district Of the State of Cblank) ir
1924 total of 77,422 votes were cast
This number multiplied by 3 cents
makes a total of $2,322.66. A candi
date at the forthcoming election
could expend lawfully not exceeding
$4,000. But-in another district 202,
896 votes were cast, which, multiplied
by cents, makes $6,O86.8S. But il
| this case a candidate may ,expent
in excess of $4,000 but may not ex
pend more than $1,000.
Same True for Senate Race.
The same system operates with re
spect to candidacy for the Senat,
only that a senatorial candidate may
expend from $4,000 to $25, 900 as {
| limit.
l. In another respect the law Il
| changed so as to require each candi
date to give the gross amount he has
expended-the total aggregate sum-
| but not the items included in it, sucl
as any assessment, fee or charge
levied by the laws of his State; Or fol
necessary personal, travelling an(
! subsistence expenses, stationery, post
age, writing or printing (other thar
! for use on billboards or newspapers
for distributing letters, circulars OF
posters or for telegraph or telephone
service. The total aggregate sum o.
these expenditures is not included II
determining the limit Of campaign ex
penses Of a candidate. These do no
enter into the determination Of thu
amount he may lawfully expend. Tt
illustrate-if the candidate expended
as a limit $2,500 he might also eX
pend, say $4,000 for those othe
campaign activities which the Law
does not require him to report in de
tail, and his total expenditure ma!
thus amount to s12 ,50o-$1O, 900 O
which is for travelling and other per
sonal expenses, kilograms, etc.
A candidate is required in his frs
statement to report the total numbe
| of votes cast for all candidates fOl
| the same office at the general election
next preceding the election at whicl
| he is candidate. This information
based u<on the records of the prope
/ State officials, obtained and compiled
by Mr.. Page as clerk of the House
! has been supplied to members Of Con
gress by Mr.. Page.