The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-29
never SAW HIM
Chairman Underwood Denies
Acquaintance With MuIhaH.
And Calls Him a Liar and a
Blackmailer.

Washington, July 29-Oscar w. I'm
derwood, majority leader of the house,
today denounced Martin M. Mulhall,
alleged lobbyist for the National AS
sociation of Manufacturers, as a liar
and a blackmailer.'' Mr.. Underwood
appeared before the senate lobby COM
mittee to deny that MulhaQ had ever
talked to him about legislation before
congress.
After one look at the Witness he
said:
Il never saw him before in my life.
Il think, said the majority leader,
that it is in the interest of the pub
lie that a man who has taken liberties
with house men, as this man has,
should be contradicted. I regard man
of this kind as bIackmailer. That man
has never been in the AVayS and means
committee room sinceN l have been
chairman. He may have had conver-
sation with me, but when he says he
had an interview, 1 want to say that
statement is a lie
Mr.. Underwood appeared uneXpect-
edly and made a brief statement before
he was sworn He denounced as false
MulhalI's statement that an employee
has been in his employ According to
MulhalPs earlier testimony, the man
was paid $40 a month.
You made the statement that this
man was a blackmailer; that means he
used threats to eXtort money, said
Senator Reed.
L think he was trying to get money
out of his own people, returned Mr..
Underwood.
Chairman Underwood read Mulhall's
letter about the alleged interview in
which Mulhall wrote that Underwood
had told him that he could not do 9TH
erwise than appoint William B. Wilson,
now secretary of labor, chairman of the
house labor committee, because there
was no other candidate before the ways
and means committee.
Mr.. Mulhall told the senate lobby
commission that one time he pro-
posed an investigation of his activ-
tiles as a lobbyist for the National
Association of Manufacturers to For
mer Chairman Wilson of the labor
publican Leader Mann, and that all
turned down his proposal
THAT whole statement is lie out
of whole cloth-not a word of truth
in it, declared Mr.. Underwood.
There was never a question that
Wilson's selection as head of that
committee was solely because of his
capacity and qualifications. 1t isl
clear to me this man was down here
writing these things to his people,
trying to make out that he was do
ing great things. He never had any
conference with me- The statement
In his letter can be OlSprOVeQ Dy eV-
cry member of the ways and means
committee. 1 am sure [ never me-
this man. He has a face I could not
forget.
There is nothing here that re-
fleets on me-" continued Mr.. Under
wood, but 1 want it set right before
the country
Mulhall reiterated that he had
talked with Underwood briefly in the |
corridor and had written to his en- |
ployers about conditions just as L
found them in Washington at that |
time"
Il have no desire to contradict Mr.. |
Underwood" he said, but l am con- |
vinced that after he has heard my |
other witnesses and this examination |
has ended he will take back part of |
what he has said.''
THE statements you made in your /
letter were not true and can be /
proved not true by other members of |
the ways and means committee" re-
torted Mr.. Underwood. Therefore, |
it was self-evident L did not make
them to you.'
Il will stand as clean before the |
country as you WILL returned Null !
hall. heatedly.
"Oh. I have no question about how
we will stand relatively before the |
public replied Underwood, with a |
laugh, and left the committee room.
The incident created a furry that had |
not wholly subsidized when the COM
mittee settled down to the further
of letters
..Sherman Law for Argentina.
Buenos Ayres. Argentina, July 29.-l
The government of Argentina today