Evening star., 1951-12-01
Donation by Eaton
For Fight on Taft
lin Ohio Disclosed
By J. A. O'Leory

campaign against re-elecClOn OF
Senator Taft in Ohio
last year was financed by con-
from Cyrus S. Eaton,
a Cleveland f1nancier, and some
Of his associates in an investment
firm he was connected with last
fall, was unfolded before the Sen
ate Elections subcommittee today.
John Moore, subcommittee
counsel. brought out that the cam
paign report of labor's Non-par-
tisan League, filed by r. c. Owens.
a United Mine Workers official,
showed contributions of $4,000
each from Cyrus S. Eaton, ST..
and Cyrus S. Eaton, jr. At the
time of the contributions last fall
Mr.. Eaton was described as larg-
est stockholder in Otis & Co., a
Cleveland investment firm.
Committee counsel also pro-
duced affidavits from John A.
Kruse, a former vice president and
director of Otis & Co., and from
Dorothy Wokral, formerly one OF
Mr.. Eatons private secretaries IN
the Otis firm, both stating that
they were asked by Mr.. Eaton to
make out their personal checks
for contributions for which they
would be reimbursed.
Handed S2,5O0 Check.
Miss Wokral said in her affl-
davit that on october 4, 1850,
Cyrus Eaton handed her check
for $4,000 and told her to give
him her personal check for that
amount, made pabable to Labor's
Non-Partisan League.
She swore that on October 18
Mr.. Eaton handed her a second
check for S2,500 and asked her
for another personal check, made
out as before. She said she de-
posted the checks she received in
her bank, but does not remember
who the makers of the checks
were and has not been able to
have them located.
Mr.. Kruse said in his affidavit
that on or about october %, 1850.
he was asked by Cyrus S. Eaton to
give the latter a check for $4,000.
payable to labor's Non Partisan
League, upon which he would
reimburse Mr.. Kruse. The former
vice president of Otis & Co. said
he did not comply with the re-
quest until Miss Elizabeth J.
Royan, a secretary of Mr.. Eaton,
called him on the phone and
asked for the check, which he
then delivered.
Senator Smith, Republican, of
Maine had read into the record
Federal law which prohibits an
individual from contributing in
any one year more than $4,000,
directly or indirectly, toward a
campaign for a Federal election.
Eatons in Canada.
Mr.. Moore pointed out that the
Federal statute does not apply to
contributions to local and State
committees, but indicated he
wanted to look into the matter
further. Mr.. Moore told the COM
mittee the staff has not been
successful in having subpoenas
served on Mr.. Eaton or his son
and has been informed that they
are on a visit to Canada. He said
the marshal's Office in Cleveland
has not been able to learn when
they are expected back.
Mr.. Owens, the first witness
called today, said he had met Mr..
Eaton, but did not know what his
official capacity was last fall. He
said the contributions were re-
ceived by mail and that he had
not solicited them.
Senator Hennings, Democrat, Of
Missouri said investigation by the
committee staff indicated that out
of a total of $40,834 collected by
Labor's Non-Partisan League,
$4,000 came from a group of in
Idividuals the committee staff be-
Ilieves were formerly connected
with Otis & Co. Senator Hennings
said the staff had checked the
telephone directory and that Mr..
Kruse had identified all of those
included in the $35,000 total as
having been at one time with the
company.
| Senator Monroney, Democrat,
of Oklahoma. a member of the
subcommittee. was on record,
meanwhile, as believing we're go
ing to tear up our democracy if
we don't adopt some Marquis of
Queensbury rules" to govern CAM
paign arguments.
Takes Issue With Charge.
He made the statement at the
afternoon hearings yesterday into
the Ohio election, during a dis
cussion of the charge by Senator
Taft that there was a Communist
blueprint for the campaign against
him last year.
The subcommittee went into an
unscheduled Saturday session in
the hope of finishing the hearings
this week. To be heard today
were Harry w. August, executive
director of the Ohio Republican
Finance Committee, and Ray
Bliss, Republican State chairman
in Ohio. Both men were con-
cerned with the entire Republican
ticket last year and not just the
Taft Senate race. Another wit
ness still on the list is R. C. Owens,
a United Mine Workers official.
Statement Termed "Extravagant."
Senator Smith also took issue
yesterday with Taft charge
that the CIO-PAC, which opposed
him last year, had communistic
origins. The Senator based his
charge on congressional hearings
seven years ago and said, during