Evening star., 1938-06-30


tention anew by $S $780,
Senator Holt, ##s$s$ k :
Democrat, of West ~
Virginia, who has ~
inserted in the Congressional Record
as part of the official proceedings of
Congress detailed list showing that
the Democratic National Committee
received $849,8l2.64 from the sale of
campaign textbooks autographed by
President Roosevelt himself and sold
in apparent violation of the Federal
Corrupt Practices Act.
Mr.. Holt reveals that the sales took
place between January /, 1886, and
August 81, 1887. 1t will be recalled
that the presidential campaign and
election occurred during 1886, and also
that the White House issued to the
press on June 10. 1887. an informal
comment to the effect that the Presi-
dent had signed his name to lot of
blank sheets of paper and did not know
his autograph was to be sold by the
Democratic National Committee to
corporations.
Sales Continued.
The record now shows that not
withstanding this public denial, the
sales went on after June 10. 1887. just
the same and more money was turned
over to the Democratic National Com
mittee. There was no effort to refund
the money to the corporations when
attention was called to the apparent
violation Of the law Mr.. Holt first
quotes the statute known as the Fed
eral Corrupt Practices Act which says:
Section 313 1t is unlawful for any
national bank. or any corporation Or
ganized by authority of any law Of
Congress. to make a contribution in
connection with any election to any po-
iitical Office, or for any corporation
whatever to make a contribution in
connection with any election at which
presidential and vice presidential elec-
tors or Senator or Representative in
Congress are to be voted for, or for any
candidate, political committee, or other
person to accept or receive any con-
tribution prohibited by this section.
Every corporation which makes
any contribution in violation of this
section shall be fined not more than
$4,000 and every officer or director of
any corporation who consents to any
contribution by the corporation in
violation of this section shall be fined
not more than 1000 or imprisoned
not more than one year or both"
There are. Of course. in the law
some general penalties, too, so that
any member of political committee
can be punished for soliciting and re-
ceiving these contributions from cor
porations.
Raises Pertinent Question.
The question may we'll be asked why
these laws against monopoly of our
election machinery by political COM
mittees are not as important as any
other monopoly laws set up by the
Federal Government. In the one case
the laws are aimed at an economic
oligarchy seeking to influence votes
oligarchy which mulcts corporations
Of campaign funds so as to perpetuate
itself in power.
Quite q few of the corporations
which bought the campaign books at
sums ranging from 500 up to $4,000
or more do business with the Federal
Government and have been and are
recipients of Government contracts.
Senator Holt comments in this con-
nection:
For years speakers of our party
have justly condemned accepting
campaign contributions from corpora
tions who do business with the Fed
eral Government. So fragrant did this
practice become that Congress passed
legislation known as the Corrupt
Practices Act, which prohibited dona-
tions Of corporations $50.
"Royalists Become Angels"
II have made a detailed study Of
the sale of these campaign books and
have prepared complete list of those
who purchased these volumes. 1t is
quite shocking to see money being ac-
cepted from some firms which the ad-
ministration claims to be so bitter
anti-labor that they have been charged
with violating the Wagner Act and be-
ing hostile to unions. The list also
contains the names of some of the
best-known economic royalists, class
that has been so often spoken of as
hostile to reform. These royalists be-
come angels with their contributions.
Some firms who bought books at
outrageous sums do business with
the Federal Government. Other firms
who want to do business with the
Federal Government also purchased
these books. Firms receiving sub
sides directly or indirectly from the
Federal Government purchased these
books. many of which were auto
graphed by the President of the
United States.
For years, citizens have COM
planned about accepting campaign
money from individuals or firms that
are regulated in their business by
Government license. Yet this list
shows many such contributions. Scat
tered generously through the contrib
utions are donations from liquor in
terests.' ...
Exposed Previously in Press.
The facts about this strange episode
have been known for more than two
years. Attention has been called to
them at different times in the public
press and formally in 1897 by Repre-
sentative Smell of New York, who ad-
dressed letter on the subject to the
Department of Justice. But President
Roosevelt has taken no action to cause
the money to be refunded or to prose-
cute those who violated the laws of
the United States. Not long ago in
an address to Congress on the subject