Evening star., 1936-09-06
Looking After Its Own.

ing Committee has started an inquiry
into charges that nearly $3,000000 in
contributions has been accumulated by
political parties and candidates in
Michigan" Although the committee has
so far denied that the investigation is
being made in the interest of Senator
James Couzens, who recently announced
that he intended to support President
Roosevelt for reelection, it Is otherwise
reliably reported that such is the fact.
Indeed Frank Murphy. United States
High Commissioner of the Philippines
on furlough-now seeking the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination, secuted the
idea that any such funds were being
used in the Democratic primary. On the
other hand, he insisted that money was
being used in large quantities to bring
about the defeat of Senator Couzens
in the Republican primary.
Senator Couzens is opposed in the
primary by former Gov. WILDER M.
Brucker. Mr.. Brucker is a Republican
and will support the Republican national
ticket. If he and his campaign against
CouZens can be Smeared by the impli-
cation that large slush funds are being
used, so much the better for Mr.. Couz-
ems The Senatorial Campaign Investi-
eating Committee, which is composed of
three New Deal Democrats, one progress
sive supporting Roosevelt and one Re-
publican, has been engaged in trying to
prove that employers Of labor in Penn
sylvania are using coercion to obtain
votes for Gov. Landon, the Republican
presidential nominee. Some of the COM
mittees agents will remain in Penn
sylvania to prosecute these investiga-
tions while others 60 to Michigan.
Senator Couzens, happily. is not
poor man devoid of financial resources
in combat with a wealthy opponent. The
exact opposite is the case, for Mr.. Couz-
ems is reputed to be the owner Of scores
of millions of dollars and the wealthiest
member Of the Senate. Mr. Brucker, on
pAiS ooiiSA AioiAO 10 llOO q 4lIll llldll. N21
Couzens, having declared that the most
important thing to be done at this
time is to re-elect President Roosevelt,
quite naturally has the support, both
prayerful and practical. of the New
Dealers. New Deal support means turn
ing loose the Federal pay roll and the
devastating effort Of political bureau
cracy. There has been no hint, so far,
however, that the Senate Committee in
tends to investigate such activities In
Michigan, any more than that 1t intends
to look into the repeated charges that
w. P. A. workers in Pennsylvania are
being coerced into registering and voting
as Democrats by the party bosses in the
Keystone State.
The Michigan primary falls on Septem-
Der IS. Louis r. CLAWS, super sleuth
for long time for Secretary Ickes, Pub
lie Works Administrator, is now the
chief investigator for the Senate Com
mittee and he has been hurried to De-
troit to begin without delay investiga-
ton of the charge that huge sums of
money have been accumulated for use in
the elections there.
1t was in Michigan, back in 1918, that
Truman H. Newberry, Republican, was
elected Senator over Henry Ford, who
was then running as Democrat for
the upper house. That election was
followed by charges that excessive sums
had been expended to elect Newberry. In
the end, however, the Senate, by a vote
of 46 to Al, declared Newberry's right
to the seat, which he held for time and
then resigned. Couzens was his successor.
A victory for Senator Couzens in the
Republican primary would be a ire
mendous feather in the cap for the New
Dealers, for Mr.. Couzens has declared
that the most important thing today is
to retain the New Dealers in power. ANY
assistance that the New Dealers can give
Mr.. Couzens in this Republican intra-
party scrap might be considered most
timely.