Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-05
WITNESS AT LOBBY INQUIRY
Attacks on Rep. Stevenson in the
American Flag Magazine.
Ex-Representative McCleary Resents
Intimation That He Abused Privi-
leges Of Floor to Boom Subsidy.

stepped from the House Office building
after testifying before the ship subsidy
investigating committee.
Penton was arrested by Detectives
Grant and Helan of United States Attor
ney Bakers Office
The arrest of Penton was based an
indictment returned March 30, and with
held from publication, charging him with
criminal libel in connection with certain
editorials appearing December 1 last in
The American Flag, in which he Is
charged with impugning the sincerity of
HalvOr STEVENSON, representative from
the ninth Minnesota district, in advo-
eating substitution of American labor
for coolie labor in the American merchant
marine.
Penton. who is stopping at the Willard
Hotel, accompanied the detectives to the
office of the United States attorney,
where he gave $500 cash bail.
Indictment Quotes Editorials.
The indictment sets forth that the libel
appeared under the heading STEVENSON
Soon to Have a Chance and read:
IF Representative Stevenson has any
real soicitude for American labor, if he
is in truth not throwing dust in the eyes
of his constituents by declaring against
Coolie labor, then he will soon have an
OpPOI u SHOW HIS sincerity.
III he desires to supplant cooiie
labor with American labor. he may
follow President Taft and the loyal
members Of the Minnesota congress
sional delegation. and vote for such
legislation in the next Congress as
win effectually do away with coolle
labor on American ships doing Ameci
tan business"
The indictment further sets forth
that that under . ., head What t,t Manner OF
reads:
rs a man fit to hold public office that
will deliberately pervert and malicious
ly falsify the facts connected with any
safe-a trustworthy man?
Nv hold that he is not-that such
man is dishonest and an enemy to his
country and his country's best interests.
slant menaces to American progress at
home and abroad. There are not many
such in Congress. but there will always
be found few and the ninth district of
Minnesota has one
Letters Attacking congressman.
Letters signed by Patten and others
signed by John M. Maxwell. formerly ed
itor of THE American Flag and copies
of the magazine, especially the November
number. contain attacks on members Of
Congress.
The letters and the magazines were all
sent out as the authorized utterances of
the Merchants Marine League. by Mr..
Penton's own statement. Efforts to re-
call the November issue of THE Ameri-
can Flag" he told Of admitting that it
contains matter that he and his asso-
ciates now deplore.
These letters constituted a portion of
Mr.. Steenerson's original charge of an
attempt to intimidate him into supporting
ship subsidy.
Mr.. Penton said. before the committee,
that some Of the letters were "unfortu-
nate in their language" although the
league assumed responsibility for them.
McCleary Clashes With Stevenson.
A lively tilt between Representative
Steenereson Of Minnesota and former
Representative James 7. McCleary of the
same state occurred today, before the Sc
lect committee which is investigating the
ship subsidy scandal and the charges
made by Stevenson Of the existence of
a ship subsidy lobby.
Mr.. McCleary, after he cea sed to be a
member of the House. served as second
assistant postmaster general. OF late he
has been seen on the floor Of the House
great deal. 1t developed today that he
is trying to obtain appointment as d.
rector of the mint.
But this wasn't the meat Of today's CO.
coanut. The trouble started when Steen-
erson asked McCleary il he had not used
the privilege of the floor of the House
which is enjoyed by all ex-members-to
urge ship subsidy legislation
The suggestion that he had u-ed Lis
privilege for the purpose of lobbying was
holly resented by Mr.. McCleary He de-
c,ared that Mr. Steenerson,s question con-
tained an unfair inference.
"Of course l do not mean to declare
that / never talked about merchant
marine legislation to members of the
House." said Mr.. McCleary. 1T was not
lation So far as I can recollect I never
began the conversation on that subject"
Why Stevenson Did Not Sign.
Mr.. STEVENSON took hand in tho
game at this point.
Were you ever told" he asked. that
you should not talk ship subsidy on the
floor OF the House?'
Il believe some member did suggest
that once" Mr.. McCleary answered
And is 1t not a fact" said Mr.
Steenerson. sharply, that certain
member Of this House would not affix
circulating. asking that you be ap-
pointed director Of the mint, because
you were lobbying for ship subsidy?''.
Mr.. NeCleary showed that he was
angry
.'rhe man who refused to sign tina
petition" he said, with great emphs.1a
did not have the courage to put q
that way. And you are that man."
II was explained to the committee AZ
this point by Mr. McCleary that he was
interested In the merchant marine propo-
sitiOn when he was a member of the
House and became more so as Second
Assistant Postmaster General This. he
said. was because Of the difficulties he ex
perienced In sending. mail and his abso
lutte inability to send IT in American bot
toms.
Not Paid for Subsidy Talk.
He admitted that he had delivered q
number of speeches on the merchants
marine for the officers Of the Merchant
Marine League of the United States
Sometimes he had been paid his entire
expenses, some times only part Of them.
He never received, he declared. more
than his expenses. On a recent trip to
New Orleans and Birmingham, Ala. his
expenses had been S125 and the league re-
imbursed him only $780, He declared he
knew nothing of any lobby either for or
against ship subsidy. and declined to an
swer categorically a question by Repre-
sentative Garrett of Tennessee as tn
/ whether he knew of an organization Of
| foreign ship owners who were succession
In having their views reflected in Wash
inSton.
| He did say. however. that he believed
the argument of foreign shin Owners &,