Evening star., 1931-12-21
NYE SEEKS TO CURBI
ALL us. CAMPAIGNS |
Submits New Corrupt Prac-
tices Act Affecting Con-
greSS and President.

" Soo oIIu ICSiuCIks
Continued From First Page)
district one pamphlet dealing with the
election issues.
The bill hits at big campaign deficits
by providing that it shall be unlawful
for any candidate or committee to bor-
row or to have outstanding at any one
time loans in excess of 10 per cent OF
the aggregate amount of the eXpendi-
lures authorized for it.
Expenses Restricted.
Campaign expenditures would be re-
stricted to necessary travelling eX-
penses, payment of fees or charges
fixed by law, hire of clerks and mes
sengers and cost of addressing and dis
tributing literature; salaries of agents
and assistants, telegraph. telephone and
radio tolls, postage, freight and express
charges, printing and stationery pro-
ducing and formulating lists Of voters,
rent, heat and light of headquarters
newspaper and other advertising, rent
al OF halls, loud-speaking appartus and
travelling vans.
signed by the four members of the
committee, Senators Nye and Dale OF
Vermont, Republicans, and Dill of
Washington and Wagner of New York,
Democrats, Senator Patterson of Mis-
souri,, the fifth member, resigned last
Summer and his place was not filled.
Recognizing the fact the primary
purpose of the appointment of Sen
ate committee to investigate campaign
expenditures was that of reporting pos
slble legislative remedies or evils which
have developed in the Use of money in
elections, the committee has proposed
an entire revamping of the corrupt
practices act.
Fifteen Times Salaries Paid.
Pointing to the excessive character"
of the expenditures for United States
Senators in $780, which totaled more
than S5,500000, the committee report
says tie total amount of the annual
salaries of all the Senators elected in
that campaign would amount only to
S350,000 The expenditures thus were
more than Is times the amount of the
annual salaries of the Offices sought
The report continues:
"A considerable part of these eX-
penditures, it is true, were made in be-
half of tickets upon which other candi-
dates were running both in the primary
and in the general election. Never
theleSs, as many witnesses testified, il
is doubtful if the total expenditures
would have been greatly reduced if the
senatorial candidates had been running
alone
This Is more than offset by the fact
that in 10 States. in which IT Senators
were elected, the expenditures, as re.
ported, were small or modrate in size
The bulk Of the expenditures. aggre-
eating S4898,l2l, was therefore con-
centrated in l8 States, in which the
amounts expended ranged from S6337s
to S2,005 033.
Without going further into detail as
regards either the amount or the char.
acter Of these campaign expenditures
it would appear that in a majority o1
the States they were excessive wher
measured by any reasonable standard
The use OF such large sums is incom.
aptible with free and uncontrolled ex.
preston OF the will of the people anc
with the maintenance of even g
semolance OF that equality of oppor.
tunlty for citizens to seek public Office
which is the very foundation of genu.
Inc democracy"
The Investigations of the Nye Com.
mfttee covered 18 States, in which 4Oe
witnesses were publicly examined while
several hundred more we're priyatel,
interviewed by the committees repre-.
sentativeS. These States were located
IN every section Of the country.
In It's report, the committee lists
principal defects in the existing law
as revealed by the committees investi.
cations" They are:
l. IT makes no attempt to limit OF
provide publicity for expenditures in
primary elections.
2. In more than half the States and
congressional districts the nomination
is equivalent to election In nearly every
State, moreover, the contest for the
nomination is likely to be as bitterly
fought and to involve as large expendi-
lures as the general election
2. 1t fails to place any effective
lmllatlon upon campaign contribution,
ana expenditures even in the genera
election
"3 1t does not fix respons:bilit,
clearly either for improper eXpendi-
lures or for failure to file reports anc
thus makes effective enforcement eX-
u cIIltIS QlIlCult.
a. It's provisions regarding the 4e-
porting OF contributions and eXpendi-
lures are confusing and provide many
opB rtunitieS for evasion
.. 1t fails to provide effective pub.
l1clty even for the reports filed in ac,
cordance with its provisions.
&c. 1t does not reach large numbers
Of national and local organization.
which. while not directly supporting
particular candidates, frequently eXer,
else a controlling influence over elec.
tions.
'7. 1t is ineffective both in CONTROL.
ing and requiring adequate publicity o
the expenditures made in presidential
elections.
"8. II provides no adequate mean
either of checking the reports that art
made or of enforcing the penalties pre-
scribed for its violation"
Aided by Professors.
The bill which Senator Nye intro
duced today Is based upon a draft pre-
pared at his request by Prof. James K
Pollock of the. University of Michigan
and also embodies suggestions made b,
Prof. Charles E. Merriam of the Univer
sity of Chicago, Prof. Earl r. Sike
OF dartmouth COllege, FrOl. CnarleS
Beard, formerly of Columbia Univer
sity; Prof Louise Overacker of Wellesl
College and other authorities upon elec
tion laws
The bill attempts, without conflicting
directly with the decision of the Su
preme Court in the NeWbury case, 1T
establish proper limitations upon tn
! expenditures that may be made, in tn
campaign for nomination and election
by candidates for President and Vic
President, as well as by Senators ant
Representatives, Delegates and Residen
Commissioners in Congress-"
No attempt is made in the bill t
regulate elections in the several States
except by the provision of proper limi
tations upon the amounts which ma
be expended by the candidates for Fed
i eral Offices and by the requirement c
reports with reference to their expendi
| lures"
! In conclusion, the committee says tn
early passage Of this bill or some othe
adequate provision in the present cor
! ,rtNt 49, nnt ir