The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-21
Senate GIVEN
BILL TO CURB
'SLUSH' FUNDS
Nye Committee Measure Is
Aimed at Wild Orgy of
Campaign Spending.
HUGE EXPENSES Barred
Cost Of Senate Races More
Than IS Times the Total
of Salaries Paid.
BY MARSHALL Mcneil
Times stan Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-A bill TO
strengthen and amend the federal
corrupt practices act, so the 1892
presidential and congressional COM
paigns may be free from fragrant
abuse was introduced in the SEN
ate at noon today by the Nye COM
mittee, which investigated elections
IN eighteen states last year.
To help assure passage of the
measure and to quiet controversy,
the committees report avoided re-
views of election conditions in par
ticular states, although it unearthed
among other things, the grocer boy
Norris" campaign to unseat Senator
George w. Norris Rep., Neb) This
campaign has been attributed to
some Republican party leaders.
The committee found that S.
505,712 was spent in the 1880 cam
.iaigns 10 elect United States SEN
Ators-s sum more than fifteen
lines greater than the annual sal
aries of the Offices sought.
Law Called Defective
THE bulk OF these expenditures,
ggregating $4,998,121, was
concentrated in eighteen states, in
which the amounts expended
ranged from $63, 1878 to $2,O05,0 33,"
said the report. 1t was submitted
by Senator Gerald P. Nye Rep.,
N. d. as he introduced the COM
mttee bill.
The report showed the committee
realized that some of the expense
was unavoidable, but it also made
clear that the immense eXpendi-
lures were largely the result of the
defective character of the existing
law, which imposes substantially no
limitation upon expenditures and
does not even provide effective pub
Lefty as to the source Of contribu-
tons or the amount and character
Of expenditures -
The bill proposed today was not
only the result of specific inquiries
into individual senatorial races, but,
also, of advice received from promi-
nent experts on election laws. It
was said to incorporate as we'll sug-
gestions of earlier committees that
made similar inquiries.
Expenditure Is Limited
It provides that a candidate for
the senate or his agents can not
spend more than $4,000 in his be-
half; that a candidate for the house
can not spend more than $4,000;
that candidates for the presidential
nominations can not spend more
than $250.000: and that candidates
for the presidency and vice-preSi-
dency can not spend more than
$4,000 900.
The measure, the report explains,
is built on the principle that the
election process, from the time q
candidate announces his candidacy
or takes any other step looking to-
ward his ultimate election. is a sim
ole process. regardless of the method
which may be used in any state to
determine the will Of the electors, .
and that the corruption of any
part Of this process is a corruption
of the whole
In addition, under the committee
hill. the candidate for Office be-
comes legally responsible for the
expenditures of all persons and
committees whom he or his agent
has authorized to act in his behalf,
Would Halt Racketeers
All unauthorized persons and COM
mittees receiving contributions or
making campaign expenditures be-
comes subject to the penalties pro-
vided in the measure.
This" the report says, effectively
will curb the growing activities Of
political racketeers' who use the
names of popular candidates to en-
rich themselves.
The proposal sets up joint con-
gfessional committee to which re-
ports of contributions and eXpendi-
lures would be made, and provides
for local publicity on these matters
through clerks of United States dis
trict courts.
THE early passage of this" says
the report, signed by Nye and Sen
ators Dale (Rep., VT; Dill Dem.
Wash), and Wagner dem, N. W
cor some other adequate revision o.
the present federal corrupt prac-
tees act is necessary if presidential
and congressional campaigns Of 1882
are to be free from the fragrant
abuses which Investigations of this
and other committees have revealed
in connection with previous CAM