Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-03
Election Costs
'ut in Excess
Of S33 Million
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Continued From First Page
hould be sharply curbed, to
Eliminate undue interference.
S. The SO million limit on
spending by a political commit
tee under the Corrupt Practices
Act is Enthusiastically low" and
the $4,000 limit on individual
contributions is meaningless
because there is no prohibition
against making multiple contri-
buttons to any number of po-
litical committees. The law is
studded with loopholes."
Ties Are Obvious
AS may have been expected,
the report shows that the ties
of big business and wealth to
the Republican Party and of
labor to the Democratic Party
are particularly close.
1.-The subcommittee views this
with deep concern, feeling that
it is an unhealthy state of politi-
cal affairs that may grow worse
instead of better unless remedial
action is taken by Congress, "
the report said.
Some striking examples Of
business support for the G. o. P.
and labor unions for the Demo-
Gratis were listed:
. Contributions of $500 or more
made by officials of 225 of the
largest corporations totaled ST.
816,597 to the Republicans and
$103, TBS to the Democrats.
. Contributions of $500 and
over made by labor officials
totaled $l6,500 to the Democrats
and $4,000 to the G. o. P.
Q Twelve selected wealthy fam
lilies gave 81 ,040.526 to the Re-
publicans and $107,l09 to the
Democrats. The families listed
were Du Pont. Field, Ford, Harri-
man, Lehman. Mellon. Olin. Pew.
Reynolds, Rockefeller. Wander
bilt and Whitney. The Reynolds,
Fields and Lehman gave heavily
to the Democrats.
. The 94l,27l spent by labor's
political action committees went
almost entirely" to Democratic
campaigns.
The subcommittee revealed
several interesting facts about
the geographical concentration
Of political contributions:
Total contributions Of $500
and over made by individuals in
New York State to the COP was
81, 1872 ,047 which almost equals
the total of such contributions
($2,820.655) the Democrats re-
ceived in all the States. Terri
tories and possessions combined. !"
The great bulk of the large
New York contributions to the
($2.077.000) came
from Manhattan making 1t ap-
pear that these alone exceeded
Democratic contributions in such
amounts from all the 48 States
excluding Manhattan"
Rock-ribbed Republican Yer
mont was one of only seven
States in which Democrats top
ped the COP in contributions.
In Delaware. the home of the
Du Pont family and a State Of
$4,000 population, Republican
contributions Of $500 and more
totaled S232.589. This was more
than the Democrats got in 80
States with a combined popula-
ton Of 81 million.
But just what significance the
amount Of money spent had on
the outcome Of individual cleo
lions was difficult to assess.
In Oregon. where perhaps the
most money per voter was spent,
winning Democratic Senator
Morse and his supporters spent
Sl49.l04 to S2l4.775 spent on
behalf of G.. o. P. loser Douglas
Mckay. Democratic Mayor
Wagner Of New York was listed
at $327,l94 in his unsuccessful
race against Republican Senator
Javits. whose campaign was re-
ported at S8l.566. On the other
hand. Democratic Senator Clark
of Pennsylvania spent $l52.555
in unSeating Senator Duff, who
is listed at $47,546. and Senator
Butler. Republican OF Maryland.
spent 500, 4S6 in defeating George
P. Mahoney. whose expenditures
were S74.875.
Two prominent Washington
families contributed at least
$1,000 to both the Democrats
and Republicans. Morris Ca
fritz. real estate developer. gave
$1,000 to each. and Eugene
Meyer. chairman of the board of
the Washington Post g. Times
Herald, contributed $1,000 to the
G.. o. p. while his wife, Mrs.
Agnes E. Meyer. gave $3.50 to
the Democrats.
The subcommittee said 1t docs