CAMPAIGN: Money, Money, Money

  • Print
  • Reprints

As armies fight on their stomachs, so politicians fight on their campaign chests. Last week in Washington the Clerk of the House made public the official reports of campaign receipts & expenditures, up to within a fortnight of the election. With these and other facts published last week voters could get some idea of how much it costs to live four years rent free in the White House.

Candidates. Only major candidate to report any personal campaign expenditures was Franklin D. Roosevelt. On a mimeographed blank he scrawled in his own hand under the heading Receipts, "None." Under the heading Expenditures:

"Oct. 5, Treasurer Democratic County Committee, Dutchess County, N. Y., Contribution $500.

"To Oct. 12-Postage-not exceeding $10."

John Nance Garner reported no financial transactions whatever. Alfred M. Landon and William Pranklin Knox reported no receipts and all expenses taken care of by the Republican National Committee.

Republicans. Receipts of the Republican National Committee were reported at $5,038,419; expenditures at $4,949,428. This, however, did not tell the whole story. Republicans were making desperate appeals for funds because their receipts had fallen off so badly that they feared that they would have a $2,000,000 deficit by the time all the bills for the campaign were in. Democrats said the reason the Republican well had gone dry was that businessmen did not want to waste money on a lost cause. GOPartisans blamed their cash shortage on fear of Congressional investigation, income tax assessments and other reprisals from the New Deal.

Biggest single GOP contributor was William Randolph Hearst-$30,000. Next biggest, $25,000 each, were Republican Treasurer Charles Barnett ("Barney") Goodspeed, Colonel Robert Guggenheim (copper), Frazier Jelke (oleomargarine), John A. Roebling (wire).

Democrats-Receipts of the Democratic National Committee, including cash on hand at the beginning of the campaign, were $2,417,788; expenditures were $2,914,546. But this, like the Republican report, did not tell the full story. The Roosevelt Nominators collected $288,049, the Roosevelt Agricultural Committee collected some $140,835, the Good Neighbor League $48,827.

Biggest contributor to the Democratic Campaign was John L. Lewis' United Mine Workers which gave $100,000 to the National Committee and $50,000 to the Roosevelt Nominators. Biggest individual contributor was Walter A. Jones, member of the Democratic Finance Committee, $40,000: next biggest, $25,000 each, were Philadelphia's Curtis Bok. Chicago's Lucius B. Manning. James Roosevelt contributed $4.293 and Franklin Roosevelt's good friend Joseph P. Kennedy lent the Committee $38,876.

Another money-raising device was adopted last week when Chairman James A. Farley sat down with 1,300 other Democrats in Philadelphia's Penn Athletic Club. They ate fruit cocktail, consomme, filet mignon, two vegetables, combination salad, dessert and coffee and they paid a minimum of $100 apiece for the meal. Gross proceeds: $130,000 plus.

"It's a great idea," said Boss Farley.

  • Print
  • Reprints

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
President BARACK OBAMA, dismissing reports that African-Americans were angered that Obama did not issue a formal public statement after Michael Jackson's death
/time/includes/article_video.xml

Time.com on Digg

POWERED BY digg

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
President BARACK OBAMA, dismissing reports that African-Americans were angered that Obama did not issue a formal public statement after Michael Jackson's death