Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-06
uLLEY'S CHARGES
WILL Be S|FTED
House Adopts Resolution Pro.
viding for Investigation.
COMMITTEE is APPOINTED
Electric Boat Company Accused of
Corrupt Practices. .
BRIBERY IS NOT ALLEGED
It Is Declared That Reprehensible
Methods Were Employed to In
duce Favorable Votes.
Electric Boat Company Accused Of
Corrupt Practices. .
BRIBERY IS NOT ALLEGED


duce Favorable Votes.
Full investigation will be had of She
charges made by Representative Lilley bf
Connecticut against members of Congress
in connection with submarine boat legH
iation. The House made this certain I'd
day by adopting a resolution reported
from the committee on rules providing for
inquiry into the relations with men,
bars of the House of the Holland Sub
marine Boat Company and its successor,
the Electric Boat Company of New Jer-
s@y. The resolution was adopted without
debate and Speaker Cannon Immediately
named the following committee to conduct
the investigation: Representatives Boutell
of Illinois, chairman; Stevens of Mime
sofa and Olmstead of Pennsylvania ,repub-
iicans, and Howard of Georgia and Brous-
sard of Louisiana, democrats.
The committee will get down to work at
once.
Resolution Adopted.
The resolution of inquiry passed by the
House follows:
Whereas Mr.. George L. Lilley a rep
resentative from the state of Connecticut
on his responsibility as member of this
House. before the committee on rules, has.
among other things, stated in substance
that the Electric Boat Company of New
Jersey and their predecessors, the Hol-
land Boat Company. have been engaged
In efforts to exert corrupting influence on
certain members of Congress in their
legislative capacities. and have in fact,
exerted such corrupting influence: There
fore be ii
Resolved. That a committee of five
members be appointed to investigate the
charges made by said George L. Lilley of
corrupt practices on the part of said COM
pany and of members Of Congress with
respect to legislation; and that said COM
mittee shall have authority to send for
persons and papers and to take testimony
in Washington, District OF Columbia. or
elsewhere. either before the full commit
tee any subcommittee thereof Said
committee shall report as speedily as pos
sible. with such recommendation, IL any,
as to the committee shall seem meet
Mr.. Lilley's Charges.
The report accompanying the resolu-
tion is rather warm in spots In the state
ment made by Mr.. Lilley before the COM
mittee on rules. on which the resolution
is based. he said, in part:
Il propose to show that for several
the Holland Company, and it's successor
the Electric Boat Company. maintained in
Washington an organized lobby for the
purpose of influencing legislative appro-
priations in favor of the Holland boat,
and that it had under annual retainer e..
r.. Creecy. Gen. Eppa Hunton, ex-Cnited
States Senator NJ c. Butler. c. s. NC
Ne'r, DR.. w. r. Kerr and others.
That for several years Mr.. klihu B.
Frost. vice president of the said company
has been a continuous visitor at Wash
ington during congressional sessions, and
that he has spent large sums OF money in
furnishing entertainment to members Of
Congress and that his expenditures along
this line amount to thousands of collars
That the Senate amendment to the ap-
preparation bill of March 2, 1907 was pre-
pared and drafted by the attorney for the
Electric Boat Company. for the purpose
Of and with the intention to eliminate
competition in submarine construction,
and to prevent the Secretary of the Navy
from exercising any discretion in award
ing contracts for submarines.
Participation in Politics.
THAT a thorough investigation by an
impartial committee will show that large
sums OF money have been. by the EIec-
trio Boat Company, Its officers or
agents contributed TO campaign funds of
members of Congress who favor and have
favored the Electric Boat Company's mo-
nopoly of submarine construction; also.
thai large sums OF money have been
spent to accomplish the defeat of men,
bers of the naval committee who did not
favor the Electric Boat Company.
THAT an examination Of the books and
records of the Electric Boat Company
and OF its predecessor. the Holland Boat
Company. will show that large sums OF
money have been paid from their treas
uries for the above purpose.
That continued ana repeated efforts
have been made by representatives of the
ELECTRIC Boat Company and it's predeces-
sor 10 influence the action of the officials
of the Navy Department, and that such
efforts in the past were persistent and
notorious to call forth the condemna-
ton and criticism of high officials OF the
Navy Department, whose testimony can
be secured by an investigation committee.
That from 1892 up to the present time
these efforts of the Electric and Holland
company have resulted in absolutely sup
pressing any possibility Of competition in
submarine construction, and securing and
awarding of all contracts, either by spe-
cific appropriation or by legislative ap-
propriations skillfuliy drawn, to this COM
pany without possibility of competition.
Lobbying Charged
That il can be shown by former in
vestigation before the naval committe lee
of the House. upon which no reports were
made to the House of Representatives. that
the Holland company and the Electric
Boat Company have been engaged in
doubtful and reprehensible efforts to in
fuence members of Congress and officials
of the Navy Department in favor of their
boats and appropriations therefor.
That it can be shown upon investiga-
tion that certain representatives o. lead
ing newspapers have been subsidized and
paid by the Electric Boat Company for
favorable newspaper articles and reports
in behalf of the said companies.
1T has never been ,held that evidence
should be taken or submitted in advance
to warrant congressional investigation
Such procedure would be investigation
per by the committee rules. Such
an investigation should be on.y undertak-
en- by a committee specially appointed for
that purpose. and before which committee
witnesses could be examined. books and
records produced. and all testimony pre-
scented.
IF these things are not actually within
80 Ion r,~~f.,