Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-11
SENATE SEEN FIRM
/ FOR CLEAN VOTING
wheeler Says Only Those
; Winning Office Fairly Will
{ Be Admitted.

I Declaring that "the voting polls Of
this country must not be made q
market place." Senator Burton K
Wheeler, Democrat, Of Montana sound
ed a warning over the National Radio
Forum last night that candidates SEEK
ing entrance to the United States Sen
ate must come here with clean hands. y
Even though they may be successful
An debauching the electorate Of their
own State" he declared in the forum,
arranged by The Star, and sponsored
by the Columbia BroadcaSting System,
s'they will not be successful in obtain
Ing seat in the Senate Of the United
States"
Senator Wheeler discussed Cam
paign Expenditures and Their Con-
troll" tracing the development OF
Of votes from early Roman days to the
present
{ Sees Senate Determined.
: Further simplifying his warning for
the future, Senator Wheeler declared:
sLet there be no mistake about this
matter. Those who are seeking seats
in the United States Senate in the
coming elections might just as well
make up their minds that if they ex-
pend huge sums of money in corrupt
ing the voters of their States they will
be denied seats in the upper branch of
the Congress of the United States of
America, because the Senate is de-
termined as far as that body Is con-
cerned to prevent the seats in that
body from being bought and sold on
the auction block.
"Why shouldn't they?" he asked 1T
Is not question of personal fortunes,
feelings or career of the Senator -elect
applying for admission: If that were
the only thing involved, it could and
the integrity of the election that is in
question, and the election to a seat in
the United States Senate"
Purity Of elections" he said, els of
the utmost public consequence"
Refers to Newberry Case.
Senator Wheeler referred to the New
Grundy before the lobby committee. the
career of Mark Hanna, whose daughter,
Ruth Hanna Mccormick. Just received
the Republican nomination for Sena-
tor In the State of Illinois," and to
Smith of Illinois.
Interpreting a statement by Senator
lGrundy before the lobby committee,
Senator Wheeler said it was a frank
and open statement of the reasons why
great campaign funds are collected. 1t
Is for the purpose" said Senator
Wheeler, "of influencing legislation in
favor OF those seeking special favors at
the hands of Congress"
Campaign Expense Issue.
Senator Wheeler's speech follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Radio
Audience:
have been requested to speak to you
tonight upon the subject of campaign
expenditures and in view of the ap-
preaching elections 7 feel it quite
appropriate.
Z In the now famous case of Truman
H. Newberry, the friends of Mr.. New
berry offered resolution which passed
the Senate Of the United States stating
t'that Newberry be declared a duly
elected Senator from the State Of Mich
igan for the term of six years" and it
such excessive sums in behalf of a
candidate, either with or without his
Knowledge and consent, being contrary
10 sound public policy, harmful to the
honor and dignity of the Senate and
dangerous to the perpetuity Of q free
government, such excessive expenditures
are hereby severely condemned and dis
approved Having flrst seated Mr..
Newberry, the Senate Of the United
States then declared that the acts
which he had committed or permitted
to be committed were harmful to the
honor and dignity Of the Senate and
dangerous to the perpetuity OF free
government. It was as If the Judge
of court should say to the defendant.
.''I find you guilty but permit you to 60
free to ply your trade as before"
: In the short space Of time allotted to
me this evening, it will be impossible
for me to discuss all Of the phases Of
campaign contributions but at the out
set want to say that am not so
much interested in the amount OF
money that Is raised as I am In the
sources from which 1t Is collected and
the method by which it is expended.
1t seems to me that it must be apparent
to any thinking man that 1t is next
to impossible to spend legitimately the
huge sums Of money which have been
recently spent in some Of the senatorial
campaigns, and, OF course, the evidence
before the committees of Congress
showed that the inevitable did happen
and that the money was used for the
purpose of corralling the illiterate voters
Sof some of the big cities and in en-
sploying thousands Of workers on cleo
ton day, which was merely subterfuge
for buying votes.
History of Election Bribery.
Bribery and corruption in elections
are not new in the history Of the peo-
piles of the world, but it has had far
reaching effect upon most civilizations,
whether it was in Rome, England or some
other country. In order that those who
sscoff and seek to ridicule some Of us
who are insisting upon the purity of the
ballot box, let me briefly recall how the
crime of bribery in elections was looked
upon and what effect 1t had in some OF
sthe other countries. Let us for brief
smoment see what took place In Rome.
Z Bribery in elections was one OF the
first symptoms of the decay OF the
great Roman Empire. Patriotic states
men of that time clearly saw that 1t
sMould end the liberties of the Roman
people, and the people instinctively
felt that they must throttle this evil
IF they were to continue to exist as O
free people. AS early as 100 B: c.,
Lex Cornelia punished bribery Of
voters with exile; but severe as this
penalty wa&A the abuses continued and
Increased. Heavy fines were added and
citizens were deprived from holding
office, but in spite Of what was supposed
TO be the strong Roman character, nm.
sanciers and politicians Of that day
trampled it beneath their reckless and
sordid feet and were able to prevent the
execution of the laws because of the
growing indifference of the Roman peo-
pie themselves. Sufficient unto the
day are the benefits thereof" became
the unspoken rule which guided the
great body of that once mighty people.
The Roman citizen had become de-
.bauched so far that he was ready to