New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-03
TAFT WON'T DISCLOSE
RECORDS TO CONGRESS
|nstructs Secretary Knox Not to
Produce Documents Called for
by a Democratic Committee.
IN DAY PICTURE SCANDAL
Payment for Portrait was Made
During the Administration OF
President Roosevelt-Sen-
ator Root To Be Called.
From Tn. Tribune Buresu.l


Washington. June For tho first
time in history and in direct contraven-
ton Of legislative statutes House COM
nlittee Of Democrats to-day demanded
Of the Secretary Of state that he pro-
duce records disbursements Of the de-
partment's secret" or emergency fund,
thus making it necessary for the Presi-
dent to instruct Secretary Knox not to
produce the documents except upon Ex-
ecutive order.
The House committees demand was
incidental to its investigation of dis
crepancy in voucher, presumably rep
resentng the amount paid In 1905 for
portrait of ex-Secretary Day, now asso-
ciate justice Of the Supreme Court. The
discrepancy is as mystifying to the State
Department as to the committee, and
Secretary Knox clearly intlmated to-day
that the former chief clerk of the de-
partment, William Michael. now consular
general at Calcutta. must explain it.
The Secretary said he had no personal
knowledge Of the s2,450 voucher covering
an $3.50 painting. but that he was con-
Quoting rigid investigation. He laid
before the committee the correspondence
between himself and Mr.. Taft, the Ex-
ecutive instructing Mr.. Knox that he
should Re advised as 10 the result of the
Secretary's inquiries in order that he
might take further steps toward furnish
inc the House committee with all the
information consistent with the statute
governing the secret fund"
Secretary Knox confirmed the state
ment Of other officials Of the department
who recalled that the voucher was for
S24IO. but that it was withdrawn from
the files five years ago by some one and
never returned.
IF it is found" said Secretary Knox,
that this 81 800 has been misappropri-
ated or filched then the greater the pub
licity and the greater the punishment
the better we will like it,
Chairman Hamln Of the Committee or
Expenditures in the State Department
Informed Mr.. Knox that Albert Rosen
thai. the artist. had testified that he
signed the voucher lin blank" that he
received only $3.50 from Chief Clerk
Michael. as agreed upon, and that later
Mr.. Rosenthal had been shown a
voucher filled in for S2.4J0.
so Mr. Rosenthal told me last week"
said Mr.. Knox. II Immediately started
an investigation, but | have no personal
knowledge of the transaction because
this happened five years or more ago"
Ex- Secretary Root. who was in Office
AT the time, will be before the commit
tee on Tuesday, but is expected To tes-
tify that he signed the voucher as IA
routine department expense. without
knowing that Rosenthal would not re-
ceive the full amount called for over his
signature or noting the amount II car
ried
Secretary Knox in his letter TO the
President dated to-day said:
This expenditure was covered by a
roqular certificate issued under and pur-
suant to the authorization Of Section
oel Of the Revised Statutes. Inasmuch
as compliance with thls summons in
the matter of producing the records con-
taining statements regarding this vouch-
OF would be 10 place before the COM
mittee accounts which have been certi-
ned bv one of your predecessors. Presi-
dent Roosevelt as not proper under Sec
t,on 99l 10 be made public. | have 10
,eoucst your direction as To what my
action in obedience 10 this summons
shall be
He cited President Polk's refusal in
1916 to furnish the House with similar
records.
President Taft in his reply said that
I'm view Of the facts and circumstances
and that the emergency fund expendl-
lures for this period have under the ex-
press authority OF Congress been certi-
Continued ON second page.