National Affairs: No Piker, Archangel

Senator James A. Reed, Democratic quizzer extraordinary from Missouri, glanced at Senator “Sonny” LaFollette seated below the salt (Caesar to his Lepidus), then shifted glint-eyed gaze to a Negro slouching easily back in his chair. The Senator: “Do you represent the second Chicago ward?” The Negro: “I am treasurer; 1 am chairman; I keep the books; I appoint and dismiss all officers; I am the second ward.” Edward H. Wright, colored member of the Illinois Commerce Commission, scorned the U. S. Senate Committee sitting in Chicago to investigate “slush funds of the recent Illinois primaries” (TIME, July 26) ; he gave them no information on fund disposal. Others did, last week, principally Samuel Insull, greatest of midwest utility potentates. Mr. Insull’s competitor, in a comparatively smaller way is Senator W. B. McKinley, recently defeated in the Republican primaries by Col. Frank L. Smith, chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Mr. Insull acknowledged giving $125,000 to Col. Smith. Then, no piker, he had further promoted his antiWorld Court campaign by contributing smaller sums to the Deneen faction supporting Senator McKinley against Col. Smith. Finally, archangel, Mr. Insull, had helped even the Democrats by slipping $15,000 to his old friend George E. “Boss” Brennan of Chicago, who as Democratic nominee opposed both Col. Smith and Senator McKinley. Said Senator Reed: “This utility giver is apparently out to land on both feet.” During the week corroborating evidence was forthcoming from many a bigwig who came beneath Senator Reed’s sharp eye, sharper tongue—among them: James Simpson, President of Marshall Field & Co.; Smith W. Brookhart, Iowa Republican Senatorial candidate; Chester Willoughby, secretary to Senator McKinley whom Brookhart defeated; States Attorney Robert E. Crowe (Leopold and Loeb prosecutor) ; A. F. Moore, Col. Smith’s campaign manager, who himself contributed $75,000 to his candidate’s campaign. The inquisition had disclosed the following expenditures: Frank L. Smith ………..$287,282.70
William B. McKinley …. 346,616.72
Deneen county ticket …. 130,894.63
Crowe-Barrett county ticket ……..150,000.00
George E. Brennan and Democrats ……….20,841.42
Totals admitted …………$935,635.47