Evening star., 1952-09-25
The Political Mill
Why Won't Stevenson
Name Donors to Fund?
No. ] Question Of compoisn
Raised After Nixon's TuIk
The Political Mill

No. Question Of compoiqn
Raised After Nixon's Tulk
By Gould Lincoln
The No. l question in this presidential
campaign today is: Who contributed to
Gov. Adlai Stevensons political fund"
and why won't Gov. Stevenson name
the contributors?
In view of the loud and raucous de.
mandS by Democratic leaders that SEN
ator Nixon, Republican candidate for
Vice President. come clean" in regard
70 contributors to the Nixon political
fund" and the purposes for which the
money was spent the reticence of Gov.
Stevenson. the Democratic candidate for
President. is a loud and unpleasant
sound. Is Democratic candidate for
PRESIDENT more sacrosanct than Repub-
Lcan candidate for Vice President?
Senator Nixon did not hesitate for q
moment to reveal the names of the
contributors to his fund-nor the uses
TO which the money was put. None of
1t went into his own pocket-nor was it
handled by him.
Gov. Stevenson said he would not
name the contributors to his fund nor
give the names of the men who received
it nor the size Of the fund. The fund.
ne said, was to augment the salaries of
state ofhcials. men who had been per.
suaded to leave better-paying Jobs and
TO work for the State in the Stevenson
administration. To reveal the names
either OF the contributors to the fund or
OF the officials to whom the money went.
Gov. Stevenson said. would be publicity
they do not deserve" He added it
would be breach Of faith on his part.
Explanation Is Disappointing.
This explanation may be satisfying to
Gov. Stevenson-and to many Of those
who want to see him in the White Honse.
To others. 1t is disappointing. Sub rosa
contributions and expenditures to. by
and Tor public of1cials-no matter how
honest the cause may be claimed to
De-are not good practice. Gov.
stevenson says there has been no secret
about the fund-his fund-nor the uses
OF 1t. But man after man In his ad-
ministration has denied he ever heard
OF the fund. or that he received any
part of it.
Gov. Stevenson might feel reluctant
to name the officials of the Illinois State
government who had received additional
pay-unknown to the great mass Of such
officials and employees who had no such
favors. Those who failed such recogni-
ton for their services could resent this
system Of favoritism. It would be
human If they did. The reaction, from
political point Of view, could be dis
tinctly unfavorable to Q Governor who
played favorites."
Gov. Stevenson apparently believes
there could not be q charge either
against him or against the contributors
to such fund as he operated, q charge
that favor was being either bought or
sold. When money changes hands, an
obligation is created. It is possible that
q donor Of the money will never seek a
favor Of the recipient. Gov. Stevenson
may say. as Senator Nixon has already
said. no contributor to his fund ever
asked favor. But what II one Of them
did? Would Gov. Stevenson be less in
clined to grant 1t?
Has Far More to Hand Out.
Suggestion has been made. too. that
Nixon. Senator. would be more on the
firing line for favors requested than
Stevenson, Governor. It Is clear, how
ever, that when it comes to granting
favors. the chief executive Of State,
or Of the Nation. would have far more
to hand out than lone member Of the
Senate.
Senator Nixon. having barred himself.
his fund" and his finances to the
public, very properly demands that Gov.
Stevenson, head Of the Democratic
ticket. follow suit. It's difficult for the
man on the street to understand why
the Illinois Governor shouldn't. Senator
Nixon said he was no gutter, but he left
1t UP to the Republican National Com
mittee to say whether he should remain
on the Republican ticket. Perhaps Gov.
Stevenson, too, might ask the Demo-
cratic National Committee-or perhaps
President Truman-whether he should
remain on the party's national ticket.
The impropriety Of Gov. Stevenson and
his political fund certainly equals that
Of Senator Nixon and his fund. Until
all the facts are public. a. in the case Of
Nixons fund. the impropriety Of the
Stevenson fund could be greater.
In tho political-fund issue, raised BY
the Stevenson Fair Dealers-particularly
Chairman Mitchell Of the Democratic
National Committee. who wanted Nixon
thrown OF the Republican ticket forth
with-the Fair Dealers have Q bear BY
the tail.