Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-27
G. 0. P. Treasurer Denies
Latter's Charge Money Was
to Fight Senators.
HAS CANCELLED CHECKS
FOR EVERY CENT, HE ADDS
Norris Proposes Election Reform
Before New Liberal Party
Is Organized.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Joseph r. Mutt, treasurer of the Re-
publican National Committee, today
jumped into the fray which has arisen
between National Committee officials
and the Nye Senate Campaign Investi-
eating Committee.
In statement bristling with tndig-.
nation. the treasurer of the National
Committee demanded an apology from
Senator Nye Of North Dakota for say
ing that special fund set up by the
committee in the Commercial National
Bank was "slush fund" Nyes state
ment followed the recent revelation be-
fore his committee that Robert H. Lucas,
executive director Of the Republican Ma
tional Committee, had pledged part of
this special fund as q guarantee for his
own personal note in the bank for
$4,000, part of which was used to send
campaign material to Nebraska to be
used against Senator George w. Norris
last Fall.
Mr.. Mutt in his statement, which was
dictated from Cleveland, his home, to
national committee headquarters here
today, declared that at the time Senator
Nye made his charges regarding the
special fund, the facts regarding this
fund were on file In public records at
the Capitol where the Senate Commit
tee was sitting.
Fund Was $4,000.
Mr.. Mutt said that the fund was a
$4,000 fund, not a $4,000 fund as
hitherto described before the Nye Com
mittee. He added that of this fund
only $4,000 had been expended during
the campaign. He listed that not a
dollar of the fund was used to oppose
any Senator. Senator Nye had implied
that the fund was set up to use secretly
against progressive Republican Senators
whom the administration did not care
to see reelected.
The Republican national treasurer
said that every dollar of the $4,000
expended had been accounted for, and
that he was in possession of all the
cancelled checks covering the whole
and congressional districts for use
solely in congressional campaigns.
Although detailed report regarding
expenditures from the special campaign
fund which set up in the Commercial
National Bank in Washington during
the last campaign has been. made to
the clerk of the House as required by
law, said Mr.. Mutt In his statement.
Resents Nye Statement.
Chairman Nye of the Special In
vestigating Committee, has seen ut to
express his opinion that this was a
'slush fund I can not too strongly
resent this action of a Senator sitting
in almost a judicial capacity. The facts
regarding the disposition of this fund
we're easily obtainable by Senator Nye
from public records on file in the
Capitol, where his committee has been
sitting, and certainly if he had desired
to proceed in fairness he would have
made no such statement to the news
paper correspondents without first max
ing some investigation.
Every dollar spent out of this fund
was spent in congressional races, and
not 81 Of 1t was used to oppose any
Senator. The facts about it are very
simple. Late in October we became
concerned about the congressional situa-
ton and since we had advanced to the
Congressional Campaign Committee the
full quota allotted before the campaign
and we thought that additional monies
should be expended In certain congress
sional districts We set up special fund
upon which both Robert H. Lucas,
executive director of the Republican
National Committee, and myself might
draw
How Checks Were Drawn.
THE checks were drawn by Mr.. Lucas
after full consultation with Representa-
tive Will r. Wood, chairman of the
Congressional Campaign Committee,
and they were sent into districts which
were designated by Mr.. Wood and other
party leaders who were consulted from
time to time regarding the congressional
races.
Here are the facts about this fund
On october %, 1880, $4,000 was trans
ferred from my regular account il
Cleveland and placed in the Commercial
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