Evening star., 1938-08-04
ELECTIONS FUND
PROSECUTION SEEN
Chairman Sheppard Outlines
Courses of Action
in Probe.
~ the Associated Press.

Su6lluluL oAiCpPdAAS A~NhAoSAov "
Texas Of the Senate Campaign Ex-
penditures Committee said today that
If any criminal violations were dis
closed by committee Investigators. they
would be reported to the proper au-
thorities for prosecution.
This Is one Of three lines Of formal
action the committee may take as
a result Of its Investigations into
1898 senatorial campaigns. Senator
Sheppard said the two others are:
/. To recommend to the Senate
further laws needed to safeguard the
ballot"
= To report on the legality Of the
claims Of newly-elected Senators to
their seats If a challenge is made.
More formidable than these poten-
ttal actions. however. is the commit
tees constant use Of publicity to bring
to the attention Of voters whatever al
legged misdeeds 1t uncovers.
20 Complaints Received.
Thus far, Chairman Sheppard said,
the committee has received about 20
complaints. It has Investigators in
half dozen States-California Geor-
gia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky
and Tennessee and an investigator Is
en- route to Arkansas. No criminal
violations sufficient to warrant prose-
cution have been turned up. he added,
but Investigators are watchful.
According to a committee summary
Of criminal laws bearing on elections,
such violations would be concerned
with solicitation of funds from Fed
eral employees. 1t Is unlawful for any
Congressman or Federal officer to So
ucit money from any Federal employe
for political purposes.
The Campaign Committee has been
more active this year than any similar
committee In the past. Senate at
taches say That, they explain. is
because 1t has authority for the first
time to investigate the political use
Of public funds as we'll as of campaign
funds. This has resulted chiefly in
inquiries Of alleged misuse Of Federal
relief cash and of State expenditures.
investigations Not New.
Generally speaking. Senate investi-
cations Of election expenditures are
far from new. although the develop
ment Of methods now IN use began
only IL or II years ago.
Before that time there were some
notable charges Of corrupt practices in
elections. The central figure in one Of
these cases was Truman H. Newberry.
Republican, who defeated Henry Ford,
running as q Democrat, for a Michi-
gan senatorship in 1918
Mr.. Newberry. a former Secre-
tary Of the Navy, was accused
Of violating the law on the ground
that more than $l76,0o0 had been
spent in behalf Of his candidacy in
the Republican primary. He had
been out Of the State throughout the
campaign and his successful defense,
both before the courts and the Senate
Elections Committee, was that ell
money collected and disbursed for him
was handled by his friends, not him.
self.
The case was made election history
because the Supreme Court decided
that . primary case came entirely
within the province Of the State and
was not subject to Federal regula-
ton.
Probe In Arkansas.
Chairman Sheppard said yesterday
Q committee investigator was en- route
to Arkansas to look into charges
made by Representative Mcclellan,
who Is opposing Senator Caraway for
the Democratic senatorial nomina-
ton.
When Representative Mcclellan
filed the charges Senator Sheppard
termed them serious, but has never
disclosed their nature.
Senator Caraway in an interview
said Representative Mcclellan was
charging that high Federal ONCE
holders in the State were seeking to
influence Federal workers to support
her candidacy. She scoffed. at the
charges.
Senator Sheppard said the commit
tee would follow its usual custom
and not make the charges public
until they had been investigated.
The chairman said he did not ex-
pect . report from the Arkansas
investigator for a week.