SENATE ELEPHANTS TRUMPET WILD CHARGE - No.15-58 - Political Memo

Sep 21, 2026

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Political Memo No.15-58 dated July 28, 1958 argues against a 1958 Republican staff report claiming COPE is the most adequately financed political action operation in the United States. It compares 1956 election spending and contributions, citing party expenditures and COPE’s share as about 2%, then challenges claims by examining votes cast by Sen. William Purtell on pensions, unemployment compensation, interest rates, water power legislation, and the Dixon-Yates plan. It also lists COPE honor awards to local unions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Political Memo

Claimed COPE financing vs. reported expenditures

Critiques of Purtell’s voting record

COPE honor awards to local unions

85 o3 ARYGROVE COLLEGE LIBRADETROIT,MICHIGANPLEASE DO NOT REMOVE Political Memo N fromm C0P E July 28,1958 No.15-58 # SENATE ELEPHANTS TRUMPET WILD CHARGE The Senate Republican Policy Committee has published a staff report for distri-bution to all Republican candidates in the 1958 elections which wildly charges thatCOPE is the "most adequately financed political action operation in the UnitedStates." Well,what are the facts?The U.S.Senate Elections Subcommittee,during an ex-haustive investigation of the 1956 general elections,received reports on $33,185,725in net direct expenditures by major political parties or political action committeesfrom Jan.1 through Nov。30,1956.Of this total,the Republicans spent $20,685,387;the Democrats,$10,977,790;labor,$947,271 and miscellaneous groups,$581,277。Ofthis,COPE spent only $694,205.17,or something like 2%per cent of what the GOPspent. The Republicans spent $1,733,678.53 on 35 Senate candidates —or some two andone half times as much as COPE spent on all elections,Senatorial,Congressional andPresidential. More than 2,600 persons made contributions of $500 or more,totaling $8 millionPor the Republicans and $2.8 million for the Democrats.(In only seven states weremore big gifts given to Democratic candidates than Republican.) Some 400 individuals kicked in $5,000 or more.On the other hand,18 officialsof trade unions personally contributed $500 or more out of their own pockets for atotal of $19,000 --or about 8 per cent of the gifts from just one family,theDu Ponts.One Du Pont,Irenee Du Pont of Wilmington,Del.,tossed $26,295 into theRepublican kitty. A mere dozen families spent $212,464 more in the 1956 political campaign thandid 15 million trade unionists,according to the Elections Subcommittee.The 12,whose donations total $1,153,735,were the Du Ponts($248,423),Pews($216,800),Rockefellers($152,604),Whitneys($121,450),Mellons($100,150),Vanderbilts($62,400),0lins($53,550),Reynoldses($49,509),Lehmans($39,500),Harrimans($38,850),Fords($36,899)and Fields($33,500)。That's an average of $96,144.42.(The Du Ponts,Pews,Rockefellers,Whitneys and Mellons averaged $167,945.40 perfamily.) QUOTE "We were promised prosperity without inflation.We have been given inflationwithout prosperity."--Rep.Wright Patman(D.,Tex.). Sen.William Purtell,Connecticut Republican who is up for reelection this year,says he is a friend of the rank-and-file working man.On May 28,Senator Longsponsored a measure to raise by $5 a month to $70 the state pension relief received by 3,000,000 old folks,blind persons and disabled people.But Purtell voted againstthis proposal to give more assistance to the aged,the halt and the lame,and it loston a 40-to-40 vote. HOW DID PURTELL HELP THE WORKING MAN BY VOTING AGAINST THE AGED,THE HALT ANDTHE LAME? On the same day,Sen.John Kennedy's(D.,Mass.)amendment to the Temporary Un-emplovment Compensation Act aimed at keeping unemployed workers out of the soup linescame up for a vote.The Kennedy amendment would have done four principal things:Itwould have extended the period during which the unemployed could receive compensa-tion to 39 weeks throughout the nation,included 1,800,000 workers not now covered bythe law,provided for Federal standards to raise the level of benefits,and providedbenefits for one year to all jobless persons through Federal grants.Purtell votedagainst the amendment,which lost,63 to 21.Instead,the nation got a piece oflegislation which AFL-CIO President George Meany called the biggest legislativehoax ever perpetrated on the unemployed workers of America." HOW DID PURTELL HELP THE WORKING MAN BY VOTING AGAINST ADEQUATE UNEMPLOYMENTCOMPENSATION? About a month earlier,on April 15,Purtell showed where his sympathies liewhen he voted against an amendment which would have reduced from 3%percent to 3per cent the interest charged states and cities --which means the taxpayers --for $1,000,000,000 in Federal loans to build various public facili

FAQs

What financing claim does the memo challenge?

It challenges the assertion that COPE is the most adequately financed political action operation in the United States.

How does the memo characterize COPE’s spending relative to other groups?

It states that COPE spent about $694,205.17, roughly 2% of what the GOP spent in the referenced 1956 period.

Which Purtell votes are cited as evidence of opposing working people’s interests?

The memo cites opposition to increased state pension relief, opposition to unemployment compensation amendments, votes against lowering interest rates for public facilities, voting against the Hells Canyon water power bill, and votes connected to the Dixon-Yates giveaway.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra