The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-04
!. BEHIND | TIE SCENESI WASHINGTON ~ ROONEY DUTcHER-b Democrat Washington
 Correspondent.
Here's .HOw a Congress man Can Spend $S,OOO in C a m paign Funds Without Half Trying.
@V RopVaEV DUTCHER-l

Washington, Oct. 4-Members of Tho House, 435 of them, and 30- odd senators will be up for renom- nation and reelection next year, Most of them are home checking On their chances. Some have to worry as to where campaign cash Is soEning from and some do not.
 Millions of dollars presumably
 will be spent on primary and
 election expenses and . complete
 acc0Gntlng of the money received
 and paid out-which never will be
 avallable-would provide Q com
 prehenslve and amazing inside
 picture of American politics.
 This article pretends to shed no more than @ small ray of light. The writer happened to be with con- kressman of the more honest type who was musing over @ batch of cancelled checks arising from his campaign for renomination in 1886, He had spent about $5,000 on getting renominated; reelection was no problem.
 Legal Limits Seldom Bother
 This congressman says legal ex- pense limits seldom bother anyone In hot fights where special interests are putting up large sums for one man or the other. He spent mostly his own money, plus numerous con- tributions from friends. The regular party machine was against him. x The checks, he explained, were drawn under two or three names ''so the banks wouldn't know too much"
 There was @ check of around e600 to the postmaster for postage stamps and one of $500 representing D gift to the state Democratic party such as was expected of congress- men and seemed the better part of wisdom.
 Checks amounted to about $l2S for telephone service, including long distance calls. The congress- 3 man explained that there are "lots { of things you have to say to people that can't be put on paper" And . contribution check of $200 to the Democratic National Com |. naittee.
 Then some $5 and $l0 checks for .'social clubs" similar organizations dances, programs, and things the congressman called "rackets." Sweeten Ex.Service Vote
 Tens of thousands of copies of ths congressman's speeches from the Government Printing Office In Washington ran to $303.34. Other printing jobs-circulars, handbills and the like-"at extra high rates for political stuff," grumbled the Congressman -w were paid for by checks amounting to $249. < About Sl50 was given to veter- ans organizations and magazines to sweeten the ex-service vote. Advertsislng In Q Catholic news paper cost S37, In . German launguage weekly $65, and an Ital- ian newspaper SS0. A labor news paper got $l00 and another. foreign language newspaper $50. Regular newspaper advertising ran to $lO5.5O. Stenographic and head quarters help cost $444.
 The biggest check was to the Democratic county chairman, re- uuired to help pay primary election costs. Tn many congressional dis- tricts, the congressman said, this considerable sum is borrowed" by . favored candidate from public utility interests.
 Not Too Many Checks
 Here's one for $75 to cash which I've forgotten about" the congress- man went on. And $20.76 to the telegraph company, and the checks show $460 for some 15-minute radio Speeches. Here's $65 for an alleged precinct worker, partly a bribe to keep him from selling me out.