Evening star., 1938-08-09
SENATE PR0BERS
ASK MORE POWER
Campaign Expenditures Unit
Hampered by Ruling Of
High Court.
By ihe Associated Press.

6y the ASSOCIATED PresS.
Contending the Senate Campaign
Expenditures Committee is operating
at . disadvantage because its author
ity to deal with primary elections is
open to question, members are prepar-
ing to recommend to the next Con-
Rress that the powers to be widened
to deal with primary irregularities are
alleged.
Senator Sheppard, Democrat, OF
Texas, committee chairman. said yes
terday q constitutional amendment
may be necessary to give . Senate
committee the power to proceed
against violators OF the Corrupt Prac-
tices Act in primaries. He recalled
that the Supreme Court. in the New
berry case in 1924, decided that pri-
maries were State matter and that
the Senate could not interfere.
Senator Sheppard expressed the
personal view that the same result
might be accomplished more quickly
II Congress re-enacted the Corrupt
Practices Act, strengthening the
Senate authority to inquire into the
actions Of primary candidates.
Might Reverse Decision.
The issue also might be redeter-
mined II the Senate cited some candi-
date for contempt for refusing to COM
Div with committee demands, he de-
clared. He said there was some rea-
son to believe that the 5-4 decision OF
the Supreme Court in the Newberry
case might be reversed.
The committee has the power TO
report to the Senate any illegal prac-
tices 1t may discover. This informa-
ton could be used by the Senate IN
any contest that might arise over the
seating Of member.
The committee now IS operating
under a resolution instructing 1t to
investigate the use Of public funds or
patronage for political purposes in any
senatorial campaign.
In the meantime the Sheppard COM
nittee's attack on conditions disclosed
in Kentucky was revived yesterday by
Chairman John Hamilton of the Re-
publican National Committee, who
said the vote polled there by Gov. A. B.
Chandler in his unsuccessful race
against Senator Barkley augured well
for Republicans everywhere.
Sees Omen in Kentucky.
what has happened in Kentucky
can be counted only as an omen of
Republican success this faA," he said.
"1n that Democratic primary con-
test President Roosevelt and the New
Deal were the issue. Mr.. Roosevelt
personally injected himself into it..
The New Deal spending agencies
flooded the State with money. The
use Of the W. p. A. in that fight was
denounced by the Democratic-con-
trolled Sheppard Committee as a
deplorable situation and one imperil-
ing the right of the people to free
and unpolluted ballot Senator Bark
ley's managers in the closing hours of
the campaign pleaded with the Demo-
Gratis Of Kentucky not to humiliate the
President by voting for Gov. Chandler.
There could be no clearer issue
Yet 100000 or more Kentucky
Democrats voted for Gov. Chandler.
II that Is the way Democrats feel
about the President, 1t is clear that
Republicans will be elected in large
numbers this fall In such States as
New York. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michi-
gan, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and dozen
others where the two major parties
are more evenly balanced than they
ere IN Kentucky.
1T Is still possible that Senator
Barkley may find his victory to be a
pyrrhic one. He has yet to be seated
and If the whole story about the Ken
tucky primary Is exposed he may not
BE-"