Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-02
PROBE INTO PRESSES
Senate Committee Resumes
Its Investigation.
TO HEAR BUREAU HEADS
Criticism Made When Power to
Swear Witnesses L Asked.
DISCUSSION IN UPPER HOUSE
Objection Raised to Holding Hear.
ings After Bill Providing for
Change u Reported.

The investigation into the use Of power
presses In place of hand roller presses in
the printing Of money at the bureau Of
engraving and printing was resumed by
the Senate committee on printing In its
room in the Capitol this afternoon. at $3.50
o'clock. Some oficials Of the bureau will
be heard, and the evidence Of the plate
printers, in opposition to the plan, may
be given.
When the request of the committee tor
power to swear tho witnesses came up for
action In the Senate yesterday afternoon
champions Of the plate printers took op-
portunity to criticise the committee for
reporting bill directing tho substitution
Of power presses for hand roller presses
and holding hearings otter the bill was
reported.
Senator Briggs favorably reported from
the Senate committee on contingent ex-
penses resolution giving the Senate COM
persons and papers, to administer oaths
to witnesses, to report hearings and to
have the hearings printed, and its passage
by the Senate Immediately was asked.
r.. Started by Senator Brown.
Senator Brown, who prevented consid-
GRAFTON of the printing bill proposing the
substitution OF presses in the bureau OF
engraving the other day, started the dis
cussion. .s
Il, have no objection to the resolution"
he said. but should like to inquire from
ing as to the hearing that is provided for
in this resolution. L. it. supposed to fur
nish a basis Tor the bill that he brought
into the Senate the other day and tried to
get the Senate to pass?"
tn xrhp hos
the bill, was quickly on his feet to re-
ply. .it,. f. -,-y
1.-THE Plate Printers Union desired q
hearing on the printing bill before the
committee on printing" he said. we
trst meeting. We did, not expect that
the witnesses would be sworn and the
committee had no authorization to swear
them. but the attorney for the plate
printers dssired tnat the Witnesses the ssn. De
with a resolution and asked the Senate
for authority to swear witnesses and to
pay the expenses Of the stenographers
for reporting the hearings out Of the con-
tingent fund of the Senate"
Chairman Is Congratulated.
81 congratulate the chairman Of the
committee on printing in at last provid-
ing for an agency by which they may in.
BILL Senator Brown retorted. Il was
surprised the other day to find my good
friend from Utah insisting on taking up
the bill when there had been no hearing
at all on the proposition l do not yet
understand how 1t was possible for the
chairman Of the committee on printing
to bring in a bill. with a provision which
revolutionizes the entire system and
policy of the government without having
had a hearing and without his. commit
tee having had some authority to sum-
mon witnesses and take testimony"
I'm answer to the Senator from Me-
braska wherein he states that there has
been no hearing" Mr.. Smoot replied, II
do not want to have any misunderstood.
ing with him or with the country, and
will state that II the Plate Printers
Union had asked hearing of the COM
mittee it would have been granted to them
just as willingly at any time before the
bill was reported to the Senate as it was
granted after the bill was reported here
am not going to find any fault or make
any criticism. l stated at the opening
meeting the other day to the representa-
tives of the Plate Printers Union that
they could have all the hearings they
want, and that there should be no one
excluded from giving whatever testimony
he wants, and, Mr.. President / feel that
way now
Suggests Recommittal.
Senator Reed raised the point that the
bill on which the hearings are to be
granted is before the Senate, and sug-.
gested that it be recommitted to the COM
mittee.- The suggestion was promptly
adopted by Senator Smoot and, on his
motion, the bill was recommitted.
, Senator Fletcher gave further answer
TO Senator browns criticism by stating
that for six months the bill has been
under Investigation by the committee;
and heard experts regarding the printing
Of money.
81 understood the chairman Of the
committee to say that no testimony had
been taken on this subject Of currency
printing" Mr.. Brown said further. He
comes in here now and cOnfesses by his
motion to recommit that his committee
has had no power to summon witnesses
or produce papers, and he now asks that
power from the Senate. OF course, he
ought to have it, and he ought to have
had it before"
AS have stated before, we have had
hearings on this Question, but the wit
nesses were not subpoenaed." Mr.. Smoot
replied. They were not under oath, but
they gave their testimony to the COM
mittee."
The resolution granting power to adj
minister oaths to witnesses was then
agreed to by unanimous consent.