Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-29
BECK CHALLENGES
POWER OF SENATE
IN BARRING SMITH

Continued from First Page)
being a Senator, Mr.. Beck told the
committee.
While Col. Smith knew that Mr.. In
sull had made a contribution TO MS
campaign fund. Mr.. Beck insisted that
he had not known the amount ana
that the whole responsibility for rals-
ing and disbursing funds had been
left to Allen F. Moore, Republican ma
tional committeeman of Illinois and
manager of the Smith campaign.
insult Not Favored.
The public utilities corporation In
which Mr.. insult is interested had
been in no way favored by Col Smith
as head of the Commerce Commission
of Illinois Mr.. Beck said. AS mat
ter of fact, he added, the reductions
made by the Commerce Commission in
the rates allowed those corporations
for services had reduced the price of
the service to the public by total
Of $38, 000, 900.
There Is no law In Illinois. Mr.. Beck
said. limiting the amount OF contri-
buttons which may be made in pri-
mary campaign. There Is no Federal
law governing the case. 1t Is now
proposed by the Senate, Mr.. Beck said,
to change the rules of the game after
the game has been played and to say
that because OF the size of the con
tributions and expenditures. the victor
in the election is disqualified. He
pointed out that the expenditures for
the Smith campaign had in round fig
ures been about $3.50 900. while those
for the late Senator Mckinley, Col.
Smiths opponent, had been about
twice that sum.
Contribution Was Private.
Mr. insult as a personal friend of
Col. Smith and an opponent of Sen
ator Mckinley, whose vote in favor
OF the World Court he did not like,
had a perfect right to contribute to
the Smith campaign. Mr.. Beck argued.
He commended. furthermore, that the
contribution of Mr.. insult was not
contribution by public utilities cor
porations but that the entire sum
came out of Mr.. Insults own pocket.
The insult contribution to the Smith
campaign, Mr.. Beck said. could not
be considered a gift to Col. Smith any
more than a contribution by Judge
Gary, head of the United States Steel
Corporation. to Republican national
campaign could be considered a gift
TO the Republican nominee for Presi
dent, or the contribution by Mr..
Baruch to a Democratic campaign
could be considered a gift by him to
the Democratic nominee.
Smith Is Present.
Col Smith was present in person at
the committee meeting today He had
come from Chicago for the purpose, in
spite of the fact that an abscessed ear
continues to give him trouble. Oscar
Carlstrom, attorney general of Illinois,
also was present and prepared to ap-
pear before the committee to argue
the right of the State to be represent
ed by Col. Smith, at the conclusion of
Mr.. Beck's presentation of the case.
In addition to being attorney general
and appearing as such, Mr.. Carlstrom
will appear az an earnest friend and
supporter of Col. Smith.
Mr.. Beck was interrupted fire.
quently in his argument by members
of the committee. He failed to COM
plete his statement of the case and
will resume again at 2:30 o'clock this
afternoon.
Col. Smith. Mr.. Beck told the com
mittee. had made a brave and valor-
Gus fight in both the primary and
general election" He said that Col
Smith had been indicated by the
Republicans Of his State in the pri-
mary election and the people OF the
State In the general election, although
he was fighting against great odds
He has come here with the full ap-
prevail of the people OF Illinois, Mr..
Beck added
Fate of States.
The rights of sovereign State are
involved in this case" said Mr.. Beck,
THE fate of Illinois today may be
the fate of other States In the future
The members of this committee hold
in veneration and affection the Con-
stitution I know that you do not
wish to pull down what 1t has taken
140 years to build up. II the dual
form OF government of this country
Is destroyed. 1t can never be re-
stored"
Mr.. Beck said that the Smith case
presented unusual phases. He said
there was no accuser, that no formal
charges had been made and that
there was no contestant for the Smith
seat. All that the Senate or commit
tee had before 1t was the testimony
In an ex-parte investigation con-
Quoted by the Reed committee.
Mr.. Beck said he did not wish to
mittee, and that he thought II had
done good service In calling to the at
tention of the country expe mixtures of
money in political campaigns. He
gave a summary of the testimony be-
fore the Reed committee in the Smith |
investigation. This testimony. he said, |
developed the fact that Col. Smith
had been president of a small bank |
in Illinois. that for 80 years he had |
been in public life and that there had |
never been stain against his char.
acter.
Describes Smith Fight.
When Col. Smith had determined to
enter the race for the Senate In 1928
he had no organization except that
of his friends. He was opposed by
Senator Mckinley. sitting Senator |
and a. multimillionaire. Allen r. |
Moore took charge of the Smith cam
paign and collected and disbursed the |
money while Col. Smith was engag ed |
In sturnping the state
Mr.. Beck called the attention az the.