New-York tribune., 1912-01-23
KNOX BEFORE COMMITTEE
Secretary Refuses to Produce
Vouchers Called For.
fFrom The Tribune Bureau ]

washington. Jan. 22.-DisroSardng tho
law covering such expenditures. the House
committee investigating tho Department
Of state attempted again to-day TO force
Secretary Knox 10 produce vouchers COW
erIng payments from the emergency or
"secrot fund" of the department. The
Secretary pontedly told the committee
that under Section 29l Of tho Revised
Statutes he was without authority to COM
plv with its demand, except on the written
consent OF the President. He suggested
that Congress change the law II IT is
purposcd 20 lay bare 10 public scrutiny
emergency fund expenditures.
The committee on the Sccrctarys re-
fusal determined to subpoena him to
appear again THURSDAY Tho House in
vestgators threaten to present the matter
to the House for action II Mr. Knox ap-
pears without the papers.
The committee sought light to-day con
ccrnlng ,he governments expenses in the
celebration OF the Lake Champlain ccntcn-
NAL. which were covered by vouchers from
the emergency fund Before th" Secretary
Was hurricdly subpunacd. Thomas Nor
rison. disbursing officer Of the department,
who has been ordered TO bring the vouch-
ers displeascd the committee by his failure
10 produce them, and was hudozed by
the chairman MIR. Morrison testified that
the papers were not In his possession. that
they had been called for by some official
of the department
wen summon tho Secretary then
decreed Chairman liamlin and within two
hours Secretary Knox was AZ the Capitol
After Mr. Knox had testified. Mr.. Morrison
took the stanI again and declared that
he had been mistaken concerning the
whereabouts Of tho Lake Champain celc-
bration vouchers. lie had subsequently
found them. re explained, remembering
that they had been returned TO his files
Saturday. Again the committee directed
the dlsbursng officer subordinate Of
fetal 10 produce the vouchers. Mr. Nor
rison, like his superior. reminded the com
mittee that Section 29l prccluded such a
course.
Where arc tho Vouchers demanded
Chairman Hamlin. with proper melodrana.
tic effect when Secretary Knox took the
stand
They are in the state Department, un-
doubtedly." answered IN" Secretary
suayely.
"Wll you produce thcm?'
~ cannot. under Section col, which pro-
hibits making public without the Prcsl-
dents consent. any papers connected with
expenditures from the emergency fund"
responded the Secretary.
"Will you write the President letter
asking that We may see these papers?"
asked Chairman Hamlin.
Il will speak to him about IT, ! do not
like to say that | will write him." replied
the Secretary.
did you order the removal OF these
vouchers from Mr.. Morrison's files?" con-
tinued the chairman.
II did not" replied the Secretary. II do
not think anybody did. Some one in the
department has the papers. ! will guar
antee they are there. so long as they are
IN the department hey are available for
proper uses. IL is probable that some off,
cial OF the department. noting your inter
est, sent for the vouchers IN order 10
ascertain what you are driving At; but the
vouchers are not missing"
Chairman Hamlin insisted that the vouch-
ers belonged in the custody Of Mr.. Morri-
son, which brought the pertinent ohserva-
ton from the Secretary that the Secretary
OF State is the real custodian OF all records
in his department.