Evening star., 1952-09-04
Stevenson Signals
Party Fund Drive
Without Threats


Fund-raisers for the Democra-
tic presidential campaign were
under an injunction today from
Gov. Stevenson to conduct hard
hitting drive for the party's 1852
war chest without promises and
without threats"
The Democratic presidential
nominees views were disclosed
yesterday by Beardsley Ruml,
chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Commuters finance group,
as he announced two-fold pro-
gram for raising funds for the
campaign.
Mr.. Ruml said it is urgent to
get as much as possible in the
next 10 days or two weeks" to
finance the heavy expenses-in-
Guiding radio and television cover
age-of Gov. Stevenson's campaign
for the presidency.
He said the fund-raisers will
hit first the medium and larger
contributors in hopes of 'break-
ing the back of financial require
ments" of the party within the
next two weeks.
Mass Contributions Later.
Later on, Mr.. Ruml said, a
popular appeal will be made for
mass contributions of IS from
Democrats throughout the coun-
try.
The finance chairman, person.
ally selected by Gov. Stevenson
for the position. disclosed the
fund-raising plans after a meet
ing of the Finance Committee in
the Shoreham Hotel yesterday. He
said Gov. Stevenson sent this tele-
gram from Springfield, expressing
his views on the Embarrassing
drive:
Wish I could be in Washington
Wednesday to express to you and
your associates my gratitude and
that of the Democratic Party for
the opportunity you are giving us
to carry our message this fall to
the American people. I like the
idea of a drive for contributions
that will be without promises and
without threats. And, of course.
make it successful"
Mr.. Ruml said, as the telegram
indicated. that the Embarrassing
plan had been discussed in ad-
vance with Gov. Stevenson. Asked
if it indicated there had been
promises and threats in other
political fund drives. he replied:
Il think that there has been in
every party"
Mentions No Goal.
Mr.. Ruml declined to say what
the specific money goal would be.
MY problem" he said. sis to
raise all possibly can"
Asked about the party's f1nan-
cial situation as probably the most
expensive political campaign in
history gets under way-owing
largely to radio and television
costs-Mr. Ruml replied:
THE situation is urgent, but
not critical"
Mr.. Ruml said that we'll under
81 million had been raised by the
national committee this year be-
fore he took over recently his
present position. But, he added,
most of that had been spent be-
fore I came in"
So Million Limit.
The committee is limited by law
to raising and spending of So mill
lion. Asked what part of the
more than 50 million the commit
tee. under the law, may raise and
spend in the campaign this year
Mr.. Ruml, who had declined to
set goal on his fund raising
efforts, replied:
1--WE expect to raise all of it."
He also announced the appoint
ment of two deputy finance chair
men:
Stuyvesant Peabody. jr., presi-
dent of the Peabody Coal Co. o1
Chicago, a personel friend of Gov
Stevenson. and Howard Often, 6
former vice president of the R. H
Macy Co. and now retired. Mr.
Peabody will have his headquar.
ters in Chicago, and Mr.. Often, or
the West Coast, where he now
lives.