The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-04-17
Friday, April IL. zoos.
THE SUBMARINE INQUIRY.

THE SUBMARINE INQUIRY.
III Is still too early to form more than a
tentative and neeting opinion of the
congressional inquiry into submarine
legislation which was started by Rep
resentative Lilley OF Connecticut,
Obviously he has arrayed consider
able number of the members of the
house of representatives against him,
who appear to have taken on fight
ing mood and to harbor the poorly
concealed intention Of putting some
body in hole, There are signs of
the investigation broadening and 1t is
not at all unlikely that evidence will
he offered which will show that sub
marine lobbying has by no means
been absent from submarine legisla-
tion. As for Mr.. Lilley, whether he
comes out ahead or not in his under
taking, he has already proved to the
satisfaction of the country at large
that congressional methods in this
connection can at least be improved
upon.
1t grows more and more evident that
Mr.. Lilley's suspicious were aroused
by the failure OF the Lake company
to get such competitive recognition as
It considered itself entitled to- The
good will Of congress appears to have
been at all times on the side of the
Holland boat company. According to
the testimony of former United States
Senator John NJ Thurston, the eXclus-
ion Of the Lake company from con
sideration led Mr. Lake to entertain
the entire Connecticut delegation IN
pose of inducing its members to APP
peal to the navy department for fair
play. The Lake company Is n Con
nectlcut concern and 1t was natural
that the influence Of the Connection
delegation should have been sought
MIR. Thurston says that some Of the
Connecticut congressman did call up.
on the secretary of the navy II had
previously been brought out In the
hearing that Mr.. Lilley called upor
the secretary for that purpose. Since
that time the burden of the campaign
for the Lake company has been born,
by Mr.. Lilley, possibly because as 8
member of the committee on naval af.
care for the legitimate business in
terests Of Connecticut people. The
silence OF the remaining members o.
the delegation would appear to en-
courage the idea that they considered
their duty discharged when they
Lake and suggested to the secretary
of the navy that the department ia
vor the recognition Of the Connection
company. There was certainly moth
ing discreditablc in the gathering to
gether of the Connecticut member!
90, tl,o ,irpns, Jngrril,nJ npI tbnro l.
nothing discredtablo in acknowledg
ing the fact
The statement of Mr.. Neff, who 4
the legal adviser Of the Lake com
pany, to the effect that he has fur
nished Mr., Lilley with the ammuni
ton which has been used by him oi
the floor of congress and before thu
inquiring COMMITTEES, and that he, Mr.
Neff, framed most Of the question
asked Of witnesses by Mr. Liley, will
of course, in some quarters provoke
surprise and perhaps suspicion as tt
the fundamental integrity of his pur
pose in forcing the investigation |
will not be surprising If the commit
tee attaches importance to the part
nership so to speak 1t is certan1
not fortunate thing for Mr., Lille
that Mr.. Neff made the admission bu
il is not necessarily a fatal thing. |
must be remembered that Mr.. Lille
made heroic effort to appear he
fore the committee with counsel an,
that his request was denied Nor
than that the committee compels hin
to submit to It FIRST the questions h
wishes to put With his back thu
forced to the wall and with a neces
sity Of conducting his fight along I'M
expected lines, 1t may not be so re
markabe after all that he Shout
have gladly taken advantage of tn
probable offer Of the Lake compan
to assist him Its purpose was o
course self-centered, Baffled yea