Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-26
CORRUPTION
Wide Support Given
Election Cleanup, but
Primary Fight Looms

The move to clamp down on
lobbyists and clean up Federal cleo
ton campaigns last week received
the kind Of support that ordinarily
would make almost any legislative
proposal q fat accompli. Both
party leaders In the Senate COM
bined their power and came out for
early passage Of an elections re-
form law.
But despite this powerful biparti-
san coalition, there was no real
promise that any plan brought for
ward would likely escape a good
bit of rough skirmishing. Majority
Leader Lyndon johnson, with an
"in principle" Endorsement from
Minority Leader William F. Know
land. came UP with a three point
plan to strengthen election laws.
The three proposals:
Q. To encourage more small con-
tributions by allowing tax deduc-
tons on campaign gifts under 500.
. To let television networks give
equal free time to the two major
parties without being similarity
obligated to the several minor
parties.
. To require strict reporting Of all
contributions to general election
campaign and establish new limits,
probably based on the size of the
electorate, on campaign spending.
These were proposals that could
be Endorsed, with only slight
amendment. by most of the Sena-
tors who have spoken in favor of
restricting campaign practices. But
the slight amendment" will be the
wall that will divide the Senate and
almost certainly lead to a floor
fight.
Issue OF Primories
This stumbling block to virtual
unanimity promises to be dispute
over whether the law should cover
primaries. In about 20 States, either
predominantly Republican or pre-
dominantly Democratic, victory
usually is won in party primary. A
stable bloc of votes. rallied around
Senator Thomas Hennings, Demo-
crat Of Missouri, is determined that
any reform law will cover primary
elections as well as general cleo
tions. This view, Of course, runs
head-on into the ever inf1ammatory
issue Of States rights and its 90
odd champions from the South
whose strength, is comfortably boil
stored by many of the Old Guard
Republicans in the Senate.
Senator johnson early in the
week assured Senator Hennings,
who is sponsor of an elections re-
form bill now on the calendar that
would apply to primaries. that Sem
ator Hennings' bill had not been
forgotten. But when the majority
leader outlined his proposals on
Friday. he made no mention of
Senator Hennings' measure, S. 636.
The determined new drive for re-
form will be managed by BIZ
partisan committee of eight Sena-
tors, probably headed by Senator
Gore, Democrat of Tennessee.
Others on the committee are Sena-
tors Styles Bridges of New Hamp-
shire. senior Republican; John Nc
Clellan of Arkansas, Clinton Ander-
son of New Mexico and John F.
Kennedy of Massachusetts. Demo-
Gratis, and Edward j. Thye of Min
nesota. Barry Goldwater of Arizona
and William A. Purtell of Connec-
ticut, Republicans.
SCENT Chonce for Whitewosh,
The lineup assured most observ-
erS Of either political persuasion
that the chances of a whitewash
are quite slim. The Democratic
appointments were especially gratl-
flying to the liberal wing OF the
Democratic Party in the Senate,
which has at times been vociferous
in its demand for reform. Senator
Gore himself has been among those
who have persistently insisted that
sweeping changes must be made
now. And Senator Anderson. as q
Representative. was chairman Of