Evening star., 1932-01-04

Strong Endorsement of the idea Of
placing a limit on campaign expenses
| in Federal elections is given by the
press, but many feel that control of the
matter Is difficult. Encouragement to
fraud in handling funds is seen by some
J newspapers, while it is suggested that
| if the statute is made too broad, 1t VIII
offer encouragement to these who might
be inclined to nullify legitimate elec-
ton of a worthy candidate. The plan
is given in report by Senator Nye'S
| Committee, which has been dealing
with this subject.
with the purpose of the Nye re-
port" says the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin, there ought to be general
accord; with the inclusion of primaries
| fer Federal elections within the con-
| gressional power of regulation, there
ought to be agreement. The limitations
on expenses to 2 cents potential
voter in senatorial campaigns and 4
! cents in congressional districts, with
maximums of $4,000 and $4,000, re-
| spectiyely, are reasonable. So Is the
| limit of $5,000000 On Presidential
election campaign of any party or can
didate and of $250,000 on a primary
campaign for presidential nomination.
But while there has been prior demand
that the Anti-Saloon League and some
other organizations should make report
| of their political expenses, an inclusive
| law which would make every effort TO
| influence opinion in the course OF a
| Federal election campaign, subject 10
| the supervision and inquiSitlon OF a
| congressional committee, which may pc
partisan in its inspiration, needs to be
considered carefully as to its posslolll-
ties"
IF Congress enactS the proposed leg
islation,' thinks the Dayton Daily news,
! the coming year will be favorable
time to try it out. 1t seems unlikely
now that any presidential campaign
fund will reach anywhere near the
SIS 100000 limit set by the Nye Com
mittee proposals. Indeed, so extreme
are the prospective economies OF poll
tics that we seem destined for an eX-
hibition in the coming campaign
of the possibilities of operating
politics decently and sutt1clently on
the strength of the native good sense
Of the voters, aided only by those IN
struments of education and puonclty
which operate without cost TO- canol-
dates or campaign committees Ine year
| around-the press, the platform, the
common intercourse OF the people
The Daily News feels that state ana
Federal laws which have been enacted
previously had mo particular effect"
and asserts that the tricky and eX-
cessive use of money has continued ap-
parently little restrained"
In these days, outside the larger
metropolitan centers, where 1ntlmlda-
ton and emolumentS other than colo
cash are used" according to the James,
vile Gazette, "there is little, If any,
purchase of votes. We have progressed
far on those lines. But another means
of violating the corrupt practices act
which is SO common in Wisconsin, put
not indigenous to the soil here, Is the
use of public officials, inspectors ana
all the array of pay rollers campaigning
for a candidate, with no expense to
him to hold their own Jobs. This forms
scandal. With all its magnificent
acumen and wisdom, this feature OF
elections. with non-reportable expenses,
Is not covered and We doubt II II could
be-" The Gazette advises that Mr..
Nye's bill should be gone over care
fully and made operative, though most
bills or laws of like nature are not.
"The members of the select commit
tee" it is pointed out by the New
York Sun, "chose to ignore the palpaple
truth that the direct primary mas never
encouraged that equality OF opportu-
nifty for citizens to seek puoLc ONCE
which they find desirable. The minute
regulation of the use of money in cleo
tions is not likely to give the primary
a characteristic it never has had. The
bill is discussed for two reasons. one
is that it represents in large part all
the immediate return that American
citizens can expect from the $150,00O
voted to the Nye Committee; the other