The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-24
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
United Press stan Correspondent

United Press stan Correspondent
tCopyripht. 1892. by United Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-Tax-
payers who want to know what the
United States senate is costing, and
where the money goes, will have
more trouble than usual in finding
out this year.
A complete accounting of how
the senate spends 100000 a year
on itself is made annually in the
report Of the secretary of the SEN
ate.
In the past it has been possible
for any one to go to the senate
document room and obtain a copy
of it..
This document is the source of
information regarding nepotism in
the senate, where thirty-Seven mem
bers are known to have employed
relatives. 1t is the source of in
formation regarding lavish expense
accounts Of such junketing expedi-
tions as that Of the wild life COM
mittee..
Only 200 Copies Printed
1t tells exactly why a United
States senator, who is paid SO 900
a year under the temporary econ
omy act, actually costs an average
Of $4,000 year when the cost of
upkeep covering mileage, clerks, sta
tionery, barber shops and mineral
water, is included
This illuminating document can
not be obtained by the general pub
lie this year. Two hundred copies
were printed, two for each senator.
One person obtained a copy by
persuading a friendly senator to
telephone the senate document
room, and authorize the attendant
to release one of his copies. But
the recipient was required to sign
for his copy so that an official rec
ord is kept Of each person obtaining
one Of the documents.
One of these documents has by
chance fallen into the hands of this
newspaper reporter and it's contents
will be summarized, in these dis
patches, later.
Files Go Back to 1868
The house went still farther and
refused even to print its clerk S
report for the first time in years.
The files of such reports go back to
1868, and show expenses for COM
mittees investigating the assassina-
ton of President Lincoln, and for
the impeachment of President An
drew johnson.
But publication of details con-
corning the family pay roll situa-
ton in congress and the liberal
scattering of public money by SEN
atorS and congressman while travel
ing on government expense &C.
counts, brought so much complaint
that members in both houses be-
lieved they could curtail repetition
of that trouble by not printing the
two source books for public dis
tribution.
However, these documents, once
preliminary difficulties have been
overcome, and they are inspected,
make appropriate Christmas read
ing, for they show in detail how
congress is its own Santa Claus.
Seeks Increased Funds
This year, despite the pressure
for economy, the senate is asking
for net increase of SOL, IA in its
contingent fund, which is used for
Investigations and general expenses,
1854 more for the sergeant-at-
arms and doorkeepers and $1OO more
for postage.
The only decrease proposed is a
reduction of $4,000 for the office of
the secretary.
Abandonment of this item is due
to the fact that it represents the
salary paid to a retired employee
who died recently.
The house, which costs about So
000,000 a year. is asking for a net
of $7576 less than year ago.