The Washington herald., 1911-06-14

What amounted to an announcement
that Theodore Roosevelt and ]. p Nor
gan will be asked to appear before the
! House committee which is inquiring into
the activities of the United States Steel
Corporation was made yesterday by Rep
resentative Augustus o. Stanley, of Ken
lucky, chairman Of the committee. Mr..
Stanleys declaration was called forth in
the progress Of the testimony of Frank
P. Kellogg, who was retained by the
government in the Standard OIL case. Mr.
Kellogg was making a statement rela-
tive to his alleged relations with the Steel
Corporation.
II Col. Roosevelt is called before the
committee he will be interrogated relative
to his knowledge Of the transaction by
which the Steel Corporation acquired a
controlling interest in the stock of the
Tennessee Coal and Iron Company. Testi-
mony has been adduced heretofore to the
effect that while the steel officials were
negotiating for Tennessee Coal and Iron
they conferred with President Roosevelt
1t was represented to him that Moore
& Schley, who had put Tennessee Coal
and Iron as security for loans, were in
bad way, and that II they were forced
to the wall crisis would be precipitated
in the money market.
This was in the fall of 1907, at the
time of the "cyclonic term" as it was
termed by Judge E. H. Gary. On his
appearance before the committee Judge
Gary insisted that President Roosevelt
did not approve OF the proposed mer-
ger. The head of the Steel Corporation
testified tina Mr. Roosevelt "tacitly
acquiesced" in the union of the two
companies.
Invite, Not Subpoena.
Chairman Stanley and other members
of the committee on inquiry want to
hear Col. Roosevelts side of the story.
1t has been suggested that it would
be an improperly for a committee of
Congress to question a former Presi-
dent as to an act or acts of his admin
istration.
Indications are that Morgan will not
be invited to appear before the COM
mittee until early in the fall. upon his
return from Europe. At that time An
drew Carnegie will be heard.
Two witnesses appeared before the COM
Gayley, a former vice president of the
Steel Corporation, and Mr.. Kellogg. Mr..
Gayley Is one of the practical men of
the Steel Corporation
Mr.. kellogg's appearance was unexpect-
ed. He was a voluntary witness. Mr.. KEEL
logg was prompted to ask for a hearing
by the publication Of reports that he at
tempted to evade testifying, and that
powerful influences were at work to in
duce the committee to excuse him from
Offering testimony. The Inrerence drawn
from these reports was that Mr.. Kellogg
who was alleged to an attorney for
the Steel Corporation, Rs instrumental,
through his intimacy With Col. Roose-
welt, in preventing a prosecution of the
former administration. 1t was further
stated that Mr.. Kellogg had received two
fees from the corporation amounting in
the aggregate to $4,000, one of which
was paid to him after he entered the
service Of the government as special
counsel" in the Standard OIL case.
Denial by Kellogg.
Mr.. Kellogg denied in the most en-
phatic manner that he had any connec- |
ton with the parent steel company. His |
firm. he said, represented the steel and
ore companies Of the corporation. They
appeared for the subsidiaries in litiga-
cation arising in the State Of Min |
nesota, where the ore beds and the COM
pany roads are operated.
The Kellogg firm, the Witness said, had |
represented one Of the roads for about |
twenty-three years, long time before It |
YVES acquired Dy the corporation. Mr.. |
Kellogg testified that he had never dis
cussed Steel Corporation affairs with |
President Roosevelt, or any member of |
the Roosevelt Cabinet; that he had never |
been consulted nor had he offered any
advice on the subject. Mr.. Kellogg ad-
mitted that he had been paid the fees
that had been brought into discussion. /
They were for legal services performed |
prior to his acceptance Of retainer
from the government.
Il have no apologies to make for
practicing law" said Mr.. Kellogg 81
know my duties ethically, morally, and |
legally. Attorney General Knox knew of
my connection with the subsidiaries Of
the Steel Corporation when he retained
me in the Standard Oil case. explained
that aflliation fully at the time. There
was no myseery about it. I stand ready
to explain it to this committee to the
fulI'