The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-05-05
SOME SENATORS
SCORN KINSMEN
SALARY RACKET
BoTah, Poorest, and Cou-
zens, Richest, Have No
Relatives on u. S. Roll.

fcopyrirht 1872 bv United Press
WASHINGTON, May 5.-One
senator who formerly had his wife
on the pay roll as his secretary sd-
mitted that It looked bad, but
offered in mitigation the plea that
being a senator was quite expen-
sive.
This undoubtedly was true in his
case. as in several which have been
discovered "a the United Press in
ouiry into the family pay roll
racket in congress.
Others, however. better are able
70 bear the financial burden Of
serving the public-Senator John @.
Townsend rep, Dell, for instance.
His son Paul is his secretary at
$1,000 a year-the top salary The
senator. also a president Of the
Highway Engineering and Con-
struction Company OF Selbyville.
Del. which has been doing more
than 5000 900 worth OF work year
for the District of Columbia gov
eminent. Last week his company
obtained a paving contract for
$4,000.
The son Paul Is ce-president
Of the company and divides his
time between serving the public
and his street paving business.
Passes on Expenditures
The contracts are obtained by
competitive bidding. the work ap-
pears to be entirely satisfactory, ard
it is entirely legal for a senator TO
be interested in a company doing
government work. It merely was
somewhat OF a surprise to discover
it. since the senator was listed in his
oficial biography as being &C
lively engaged in farming, fruit
growing and banking
A second son is secretary of the
paving company.
When an effort was made to reach
Paul by telephone at the senator's
Office, he was referred to the paving
company plant here.
Senator Townsend is chairman of
the senate committee on audit and
control which passes on all
senatorial expenditures out OF the
contingent fund
Practice Not Universal
The widespread extent of the fam
lily pay roll racket was indicated in
statement issued by Representa-
tive J. r. Mitchell Dem, Tenn
accompanying his bill introduced
earlier this week to prohibit the
employment Of relatives by senators
and congressman.
However, the practice is not uni
versal. One Of the poorest men in
the senate, William E. Borah of
Idaho does not indulge in it.
Neither does the richest senator,
James Couzens rep, Mich.). many
times a millionaire. He reached
into his pocket to pay his crack
secretary something approaching
what this young man would be able
TO make in private life.
It costs Couzens money to be
senator His stationery allow
ance Of SIPS a year. for instance.
does not begin to cover the actual
stationery expense.
SenatOrship Costly TO COuzens
He has to hire extra clerks at
times. And though he is allowed
an extra clerk, because he is chair
man Of the senate interstate COM
merce committee, he drops one en-
ploye during the dull summer re-
cesses. when there is not sufficient
work to keep the force busy.
Being a senator is expensive for
those from large states. Senator
Robert Wagner. who represents the
huge state of New York, gets ex-
actly the same amount of clerk hire
and stationery as his fellow Demo-
crat, Senator Key Pittman Of Ne
vada, who represents fewer people
than live in Gary, Ind.