The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-10-07
ELECTION COST
ESTIMATED AT
70 MILLIONS
More Than 8 Millions
Required for 6. O. P.
Budget Alone
By GEORGE r. HOLMES
International News Service

International News service
Bald, genial Jim Farley rather
shocked the country last January
by predicting that the current
presidential campaign was going
to be "the dirtieSt on record"
Thus far, actual events have
failed to bear out the gloomy
prediction Of the Democratic
chairman.
The campaign certainly has
not been the "dirtiest";; indeed,
there has been little of PERSONAL
ties engaged in by either side
but this campaign is in a fair
way to establish a record as the
most expensive in history.
Cost May Be 20 Millions
It may, in fact, go into the
books IS a twenty million dollar
campaign by the time the last
check is written and caShed. Prob
ably the actual cash ledgers won't
show that amount-they never
show the amounts actually spent
because it is impossible to collate
it all-but some political observers
believe the figure Of twenty
millions will prove a modest esti-
mate by the time the votes are
all in.
Some insight into the financial
Sinews of the campaign was fur
niShed here by Henry P. Fletcher,
former chairman Of the Republican
national committee, who Surren-
dered his post to John D. M. Ham
ilton and the Landon forces with
all bills paid and a balance of al
most a million in the war chest.
Fletcher estimfted yesterday, in
a new appeal for funds, that the
Republicans hope to get and spend
from eight to ter million dollars
in this campaign. He said, in fact,
the Republican committee already
has budgeted $8,6O0,0OO for its end
of the quadrennial production. OF
this amount, somewhere in the
neighborhood Of four millions have
been collected, counting what was
raised during the preconvention
activities.
Democrats Hard Pressed
Democratic figures and eSti-
mates are not available. Jim Farley
put the figure the Democrats
wanted at around $4,000, 900. But
that was weeks ago. approximately
that much already has been raised
by the Democrats, and nearly as
much spent. The Democrats are
passing the hat for more, and
finding the going rough. They are
now bearing down" on all Fed
eral office-holders, irrespective Of
salaries or position.
Eventual expenditures by the
Democrats are estimated at not
far from the $4,000, 000-mark-
provided they can get that much.
While this is only about half what
the Republicans are expected to
spend, the Democrats, being the
Ins" don't have to have as much.
It is always more expensive for the
"outs" in a national campaign, for
they must pay for everything,
while the "ins" are able to realize
to some extent upon their position
of being in.
A total estimate Of the cost
Of the campaign, almost impos-
sible to arrive at, would run into
astronomical figures. But taking
the Fletcher estimate of $780,
900 already budgeted by the Re
publican n tional committee,
plus an estimated four or five
million by the Democrats and
you have an expenditure by the
two national committees alone
pushing close to $4,000, 900.
Many Smaller Funds
The amounts spent by State
committees, by district and
county committees, by clubs and
collateral organizations, by 60-odd
candidates for the Senate, and
approximately 1000 candidates
for House seats. can only be
guessed at.