Date Contributions to the American Labor Party in New York-Continued Oct. 24, 1936 Oct. 28, 1936 Oct. 26, 1936 Oct. 27, 1936 Nov. 3, 1936 Nov. 10, 1936 Nov. 17, 1936 Nov. 20, 1936 Do Nov. 4, 1936 Oct. 29, 1936 100.00 Automatic Voting Machine Co., Jamestown, N. Y. (refund). do... International Ladies Garment Workers, New York City. Automatic Voting Machine Co., Jamestown, N. Y. (refund). Painters, Decorators, and Paperhangers Union, New York City. Mrs. Eleanor Herrick, New York City. Textile Examiners and Finishers, New York City. Amalgamated Bank, New York City. Teachers' Union, local 453, New York City.. Joseph Willen, Larchmont, N. Y. Automatic Voting Machine Co., Jamestown, N. Y. (refund) New York Pressmen's Union, No. 2, New York City. Total. 83,500 contributions, 50 cents each, as membership dues. Grand total. 7. Miscellaneous labor contributions 1,500.00 225.00 1, 843.84 1, 843. 85 183. 60 100.00 150.00 120.00 500.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 25,000.00 100.00 237.50 138.00 249.50 115, 971. 04 41, 750.00 22, 836.99 180, 558. 03 Contributor Location Recipient Amount United Mine Workers of America..... Washington, D. C. Ad. Novelty Co., campaign but- $3,091. 43 ᏢᎪᎡᎢ 4 RECOMMENDATIONS The existing Federal Corrupt Practices Act is a sound law. Its impartial enforcement should insure honest elections.. In view of cases brought to the attention of this committee in the late campaign, however, it might be well to add an act with respect to influencing voters through fear, intimidation, or coercion. It might be well, also, to consider suggestions coming from numerous sources concerning the existing act. These matters are presented in greater detail hereafter. If it is desired to add to the present body of law or to remedy defects now alleged to exist, the following recommendations are presented: I That portion of the Federal Corrupt Practices Act making it unlawful for national banks, corporations organized by authority of any law of Congress or any corporation whatever, directly or indirectly, to make political contributions in connection with any election at which Presidential and Vice Presidential electors, or a Senator in, or a Delegate or a Resident Commissioner to, Congress are to be voted for, or for any candidate, political committee, or other person as set out in that law, should be amended so as likewise to prohibit contributions of like kind and character from all organizations, associations, or enterprises, incorporated or unincorporated, whose aims or purposes are the furtherance of group, class, or special interests. The corporations now enumerated in the act are prohibited from making political contributions for the reason that, (1) as a rule, such contributions are made for the purpose of influencing legislation, directly or indirectly, in behalf of the special interest involved, and that, (2) especially where corporations are large, stockholders are frequently numerous, widely distributed and of differing shades of polítical faith, to contribute corporate funds or money to one political party, or against another, is to apply such funds or money to a purpose not desired or authorized by those stockholders who are opposed to or dissenting from the principles of the political party to which the contribution is made. The same reasoning applies with equal force to organizations, associations, or enterprises, incorporated or unincorporated, whose aims or purposes are the furtherance of group, class, or special interests. In addition, it is further the theory of this proposal that, after election, the successful political party becomes the Government. Government, while deriving its powers from the consent of the governed, exists for the purpose of devising and applying policies for the general welfare, preserving, protecting and defending the constitutional rights guaranteed to minorities as well as those guaranteed to majorities. 135 II In the event of the adoption of the foregoing proposal, it should be provided further that officers and directors of incorporated organizations, and officers, directors and law-breaking members of unincorporated organizations should be held liable for the violation of such law by any incorporated or unincorporated organization with which they are connected, unless it be proved that such violations were without the knowledge or consent of such officers, directors, or members, as the case may be. III In metropolitan centers especially, political contributions have been solicited from various donors, and then a single contribution of the total amount collected was made to the State or National committee in the name of the solicitor and, in some cases, in the name of the State chairman. In such instances it is difficult to find out the names of the original contributors for the purpose of checking on total individual contributions. As is indicated by the committee's summary of party expenditures on page 27 of this report, there is no accounting practice in the United States today which presents so many complexities arising from lack of uniformity and completeness as that of political organizations. The committee therefore recommends that a uniform method and system of accounting be prescribed by law for all national political organizations and for all national political campaigns. IV Charges and countercharges concerning the use of the franking privilege arose by reason of ambiguities in the postal laws. It is not suggested that the privilege of franking, as it now exists, be curtailed, but it is recommended that rights and duties with respect thereto be more clearly defined so that those using the frank will at all times. know the true extent of their privilege and that, consequently, there may be a limit within which the exercise of the right is undeniably lawful and beyond criticism, and outside of which it is plainly unlawful and subject to appropriate penalties. This could readily be done by a reconciliation of the several laws now in effect on that subject, and, perhaps, their recodification into a single statute. V Attention has been called to the requirements of the British election laws requiring the local publication of contributions and expenditures and it has been pointed out that similar provisions might be considered. Generally, the corrupt-practices acts of the several States require similar publication. It is difficult to conceive how such a measure could be made practical in Presidential and senatorial elections. It might be applied to the election of Representatives in the Congress. But in many States contributions and expenditures of congressional nominees are required to be filed as public records, if not published. The matter is, therefore, presented for such consideration as the subject may deserve. VI It should be made unlawful for any person, corporation, group, organization, association, or for any officer, director, or agent of any corporation, or for any officer, director, or agent of any organization or association, unincorporated, or for any person holding a position, office or employment, under or by the Government of the United States or any bureau, department, or agency thereof, to influence or attempt to influence through fear, intimidation, or coercion, the vote of any person employed by them, or of any person who is dependent on public funds, in connection with an election at which Presidential and Vice Presidential electors, or a Senator or Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, Congress are to be voted for. VII During the campaign complaint was made that certain corporations, forbidden by the law to make contributions, were actually contributing "under the guise" of advertising. If it is desired to completely prohibit advertising on the part of corporations, the same could be done by more clearly defining the word "contributions" in the present Corrupt Practices Act. This subject is presented for such consideration as it may deserve. VIII Generally, attention is called to the following matters: 1. At the present time, reports with respect to elections are filed with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate. The reports filed with the Clerk of the House are voluminous and the work of holding them available as public records is heavy. It might be well to designate a Federal office or agency where reports could be filed and kept available for inspection for a period of at least as long as the statute of limitations on elections offenses runs. 2. Political committees might be required to file the names and addresses of the first three officers with the Clerk of the House or other designated Federal agency within a given period after organization. 3. It has been suggested that secretaries of state or other officials designated by law file with the Clerk of the House or other Federal agency a summary of receipts and disbursements of State central political committees after elections. 4. It has been suggested that the law require the appointment of agents to act for each candidate or nominee after the method of the British system. It is doubtful if this would add very much to our present system. IX It has been suggested that private contributions to political campaigns be prohibited entirely and that instead all election expenses should be defrayed from public funds. In applying this plan to nominations, insofar as Senators and Representatives in Congress are concerned, action on the part of the several States would be required. The same would be true with respect to the election of delegates to national conventions for the purpose of nominating Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. |