Election 1944: GOP collects and spends twice as much as Democrats (11-4-44)

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The Pittsburgh Press (November 4, 1944)

americavotes1944

GOP collects and spends twice as much as Democrats

Washington (UP) –
Final pre-election accountings on file today with the House clerk revealed that the Republican National Committee spent $2,008,000 between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, 1944, while the Democratic National Committee expended $1,331,713.

During the same period, the GOP group collected $2,773,506 as compared with $1,375,539 taken in by the Democratic organization.

The much-0publicized $1000 Club, which President Roosevelt recently said apparently developed from a suggestion advanced by him, listed contributions of $94,100 between Oct. 5 – the date the first gift was received – and Nov. 1. The club spent $64,217. President Roosevelt was one of the $1,000 donors.

Others included: Marshall Field, owner of the newspapers PM and the Chicago Sun; Club Chairman, F. J. Lewis of Chicago; Club Treasurer George K. Bowden of Chicago; Rep. Wright Patman, (D-TX); Governor Robert S. Kerr of Oklahoma; Governor J. Howard McGrath of Rhode Island; Edgar A. Brown, president pro tempore of the South Carolina Senate, and Claude S. Sapp of Washington. Alfred K. Eddy of Chicago made a $100 contribution.

Other final pre-election reports: National Republican Congressional Committee, receipts $393,309, expenditures $359,688; national Republican Senatorial Committee, receipts $25,690, expenditures, $24,390; Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, receipts $39,314, expenditures, $38,500; Business Men for Roosevelt, Inc., receipts, $123,762, expenditures, $104,724; International Ladies Garment Workers Union Campaign Committee for Roosevelt, receipts $124,121, expenditures, $102,965.

The final reports were made in compliance with the Federal Corrupt Practices Act of 1925 which requires any committee attempting to influence in more than one state the election of presidential electors, Senators, Representatives, Resident Commissioners or delegates to Congress to file an accounting with the House clerk five days before the national election.

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The Pittsburgh Press (November 5, 1944)

americavotes1944

Insurance firms accused of political activity

Washington (UP) – (Nov. 4)
The Senate Campaign Expenditures Committee revealed tonight that it is investigating alleged political activities of some insurance companies and complaints that certain radio broadcasts, put on the air as impartial news commentaries, are “highly partisan.”

Committee Counsel Robert T. Murphy said insurance company complaints involve the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Casualty Insurance Company, and the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, Fire Insurance Company, both operated by the same board of directors, and alleged to be “mailing out huge quantities of Dewey literature.”

Letter mentioned

Another complaint involves a letter entitled, “Revolution,” written and distributed to stockholders, agents and employees by H. K. Dent, president of the General Life Insurance Company of America, First National Insurance Company of America and the General Casualty Company of America, home Office, Seattle. Washington, Mr. Murphy said. He said the letter mentions no names, but is “cleverly written – we think it should be looked into.”

Inquiries into reported use of radio news broadcasts for political propaganda, he said, have not progressed far enough to make a statement, “but… complaints have been made that certain commentators have… given highly-colored versions of current news events, which are, in effect, political speeches.”

The insurance and radio investigations are only two of several studies being made by the committee which intends “to make the most complete study of the overall cost of a national election ever undertaken.”

Final report made

Meanwhile, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives a final pre-election report showing $3000 expended since Oct. 21 for the campaign of Senate Democratic Leader Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky.

The committee also reported contributions of $3,500 to the campaign of North Dakota Governor John Moses, $2,000 to Francis J. Myers of Pennsylvania and $1,500 to Rep. Warren G. Magnuson (D-WA), Mr. Moses is seeking to unseat Senator Gerald P. Nye (R-ND), while Myers is opposing Senator James J. Davis (R-PA). Mr. Magnuson seeks the vacancy created by the resignation of Senator Homer T. Bone of Washington, recently named to the Circuit Court of Appeals.

Final pre-election accountings of the Democratic and Republican National Committees, filed yesterday with the House clerk, showed that the Republicans had spent $2,008,000 between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, and the Democrats, $1,331,713.