Evening star., 1928-03-13
SENATE MAY SCAN
1928 RACE FUNDS
Presidential Campaign Con-
tributions to Fore as Re.
suit of Oil Probe.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Following the 1920 pre-convention
precedent. politicians now expect the
United States Senate TO take hand in
supervising 1923 presidential campaign
contributions. Matters have been
brought TO a head along tnat line By
late developments In the endless Teapot
Dome Sinclair scandal
While the 1920 situation vas pre-
cipitated by allegations nf current
"slush" In connection with the Republic
can contest for the presidential nomina-
tion. members of Congress feel that
public opinion is so outraged over
revelations Of past scandal that Ii viii
approve close scrutiny Of present-h0ur
campaign operations
To that end Capitol Hill looks 10 see
p1en like Senator Norris, Republican
Progressive. Of SebrssIa. or Senator
Robinson, Democrat. Of AYkansas move
lAE the appointment ot another
''Kenyon committee" II was the COM
mittee headed by the former f1epubli-
tsn Progressive Senator from? Iowa. now
o Federal judge. that conducted the
celebrated investigation Of 1920.
By common consent. it was the COM
mittee's findings that doomed the
candidates. Of the two principal Re-
publican presidential aspirants--Frank
Leonard Wood Of New Hampshire.
Issue Given New Life.
Politicians OF both parties are deep
~ stirred by the newest disclosures
connecting Sinclar's Continental
Trading Co.'S Liberty bonds with thc
@xcke1uer Of the Republican national
committee Republican leaders do not
disguise tnst the issue. when threat
ened two or three weeks ago 10 rz:isll
inpo thin air. las sgddeilIy assumed
dimensions that are dangerous from
their standpoint.
At fret Republicans thought that ss
the Democrats had nsce no progress
with the oil issue in 1924. when IL was
not Of the RTidc!e. they could mske
even Jess capital out of IL this year.
Egt now comes along, for the first time.
Development tI1t directly links SIN
clair ard his GoYegpmcn. deals with
the Official political organization of the
administration party T'tat. II IS con-
cfded ny FrpuDllcanE, IL GofnethiDG
fuil Of Cyna mite.
Democrats are IN correspondence
h3gn fettie. Many u them think their
fJiogenes search Tor an Issue is ~ las,
~ an end, Senator Joe Eobjns9n's
zeal and pgGmptnehs In bringing tnf
Sinclair -Hs Us sMelion disclosures ~ TIE
fssnstEE attention, within ~ hours ot
the Eofah letter " Republican Ma.
tionaJ Chairman Butler, was pisin IN.
clest1rf1 ~ politicians in both paTtie;
tnai the Democrats ~ MOI mean ~ ie'
Eofsh run away With the ball II snS
toachdowaE are going 70 be scored or
Inc Sinclair proposition, the Uem0cfati
nanifestly Intend that they'n be ths
uneE " 90 the gosl~croEslng
Co1BtTy's Reaction studied.
Much depends, IL IL sGkh1wiedged ~
oil hands, upon the 'festt!pn" of th.
country " the freshest turn ~ the vi
heandsi EsieidSosc0pf III 1924 th'
United States Supreme Court lad nD
yet passed condemnatyry judgment 81
sinclair. Doheny snd Pail lie Federa
courts had MOI yst restored the 1eap0
Dome and Elk Hills oil reserve lease
10 the Government Gn tiIr ground tina
they were tfsudiiienny obtained ho
had SincisiT ~ si. been fnund guilt
of contempt of Cosut oT CpnYicLeG q
attempted jury tsmpeTing All iheS
developments. politicians admit. hsY
yeybmt3ea the Rh9le oli business 8lfi
NV isfc They belje4f thgt Nnat VS.
tfy n.4sr -" - 7s's m~5 eH.iY br tgs
s4kAs V i5ts- sAms!y. W ieslts AGA "