Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-20
GARDNER STIRS UP
A ROW AT INQUIRY
Congressman Demanding Military
Preparedness Anglers wither-
spoon, Who Leaves Room.
CALLS FOR PROOF OF CHARGES
Witness Before Naval Committee
Asks HOosier Representatives to
"Gct Up aud PrOve His
Facts"

WASHINGTON. Dec 1s.-stormy scenes
marked the conclusion yesterday on public
hearings before the house naval commit
tee. After being on the witness stand all
day. Representative Gardner OF Massa-
chusetts demanded that members OF the
committee say whether they questioned
data he had submitted TO prove the ma
tion's military unpreparedness. and his
insistence so angered Representative
Witherspoon OF Mississippi that he alb
ruptly quit the committee room.
Then a series Of questions by Repre-
sentative Gray OF Indiana caused Mr.
Gardner 60 resent vigorously what he said
was an imputation that his recent cam
paign for an investigation OF the military
situation was IN the interest OF manufac-
turers OF war materials. The representa-
tive called upon Mr., Gray o'get up and
prove his facts" but the latter had moth
ing further TO say and the. meeting ended.
VIII Meet Monday.
The committee will meet on Monday to
complete the appropriation bill, the plan
being to report It to congress> before the
holidays. II possible.
Representative Gardner's testimony was
based largely on memoranda he had pre-
pared, citing important points in the evi-
denoe OF the naval officers and officials
before the committee in reports OF the
general board OF the navy The war OF
words which aroused Representative
Witherspoons Indignation occurred after
MIR. Gardner had finished his statement
and submitted to a long cross-examina-
tion. He said he did not want his facts
challenged later In congress and yalnly
sought an immediate expression from the
committee.
Did you write any letter to any mer-
camille organization over the country"
Representative Gray asked when quiet
had been restored.
''I hired a man to send out printed
letter to every Chamber of Commerce In
the land, telling them TO bring It before
the meeting and enclosing a copy Of my
speech. In the south. particularly North
Carolina, several OF them did not approve
Of IT."
How many Of these letters did you
writer"
II do not know. Tieave IL to one of
these publicity fellows.1
what organisations did you employ for
that purpose?"
do you mean 20 say am l In alliance
with the manufacturers OF material? l
am paying every cent myself"
Didn't you send resolutions already
prepared7''
Absolutely not"
Mr.. Gardner read q newspaper article
which said II was intimated at the White
House that the unpreparedness agitation
came from persons allied with the pro-
ducers OF warlike materials.
Tired of Insinuations.
Now he said ~ am tired of this kind
of talk. In the first place. II any admiral
or general tells the country what you
need and ought TO get. you say, You did
rascal. you are trying to raise your stand
ing by advocating this thing. You are
an unpatriotic rascal. that Is what you
are Then II any private citizen gets
up they say You are bought by the man
who has material for saieh II any con-
gressman gets up. you say That is poll
ties Now, I'm tired OF this thing, Get
up. Mr.. Gray. and prove your facts
IT have nothing further TO say" replied
Mr.. Gray.
"Have you any facts? anything te
sayG'
Nothing further.''
"Then." said Mr.. Gardner, Il am
through