TARIFF LOBBYING IN U.S.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17437, 8 April 1931, Page 2

TARIFF LOBBYING IN U.S.

SCANDAL IN THE MAKING ALLEGED HUGE PAYMENT WASHINGTON, Feb. 24. The Seriate was much fluttered this morning by the appearance in the New York World of a story, from which the. names were carefully omitted, announcing the existence of evidence to show that a “certain Senator” had received 100,000 to 150,000 dollars (£20,000 to £30.000) from a sugar company upon his engagement, to work for a substantial increase in the duty on imported sugar while the Hawley-Smoot Bin was before Congress. The evidence, according to the New York World, is in possession of a committee on campaign expenditures, headed by Senator Nve, and this fact was admitted to-day when .Senator Borah read out on the floor t he article in question, and demanded that the matter should be investigated. When Senator Nye was summoned to state whether, in Ids judgment, the evidence would justify such a course, he answered that he had already submitted a memorandum on the matter to the Senate committee, headed by Senator Araway, whose duty it is to investigate the activities of lobbyists. He announced that nothing had been discovered which reflected on the honor or integrity of any member of the Senate, but added, rather lamely, that he believed that an investigation should be held. 'lbis in due course will be done.

It d.oes not appear that the payments which are alleged to have been made by the sugar company were other than contributions to the campaigjn fund of the Senator stated to be concerned, but the corridors of the Capitol have hummed all the morning with rumor and assertion of damaging kinds, with the mention of names, and with a scandalous elaboration of the original story, which the existence of the libel Jaw "puts beyond the reach of publication. There is every possibility that a rather nasty scandal is in the making, although the investigating committee may sue ceed iu deodorising it.