The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-02-17
Tells the Committee Of Activities Of
His Party and Aid Extended
to the Strikers
HOWELL SAYS MANY IN CONGRESS- Did
NOT FAVOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION

Of evidence going into the records as
the testimony was immaterial Tor any
part Of the resolution which author
lied the investigation. Chairman Tay-
Ter replied that before the committcs
left Washington, attorneys for the Cal
umet d Hecla offered TO produce az
books and records, and that the
sumed that this viii be produced dur
ing the investigation Of the companies
lie added, however that the commit
tee had decided To hear Berger.
Berger. speaking OF the Calumet &,
Hecla dividend record, said that $112.-
1000 in dividends had been paid or
one hundred dollars OF profit for every
dollar cf investment.
AS TO the value Of those shares"
said Mr. Howell, no one on earth
knows or has any way of knowing tho
value of the shares. have seen min
ing shares that were worth So one
year ana were not worth ten cents the
net yea"
"That is very true" replied Rorgcr
but we can only test the future by the
past, and then he proceeded to read the
dividends for number OF years. Then
there arc some salaries The president
gets 100000 a year
Mr.. Rees interrupted TO ask where
he heard that
The witness replied that he had SIM
ply heard IT,
Mere hearsay," said Mr. Rees, and
on his objection the witness decided
not to continue on that line.
Did YOU ever investigate any ex-
traordinary hardships among the men.
and sanitary conditions which should
be remediedo" asked Congressman
Switzer.
no. We investigated the mining
companies. That wasn't the object Of
our coming here"
Did YOU investigate whether there
was excessive heat, and whether there
was drinking water in the mine?"
NO, we did not. You have better
sources of getting information than
/ have"
Mr.. Howell asked Berger if he
claimed the credit for bringing the in
vestigating committee TO the copper
country
we helped" said Berger. "wc
touched the spring that released the
human sympathies Of the members OF
Congress"
Berger offered the report Of the So
cialist committee as evidence.
Mr. Taylor said his understanding
was that Congress hoped to obtain in
formation on which To base individual
legislation other than 10 arbitratc or
settle the strike in Michigan,
81 do not agree with Mr.. Taylor"
said Congressman Howell 'Nany
strong members of Congress believed
that the govel nment lad no right tu
undertake this investgation, ard IL was
only by alleging that the laws of tn"
United States had been violated that
Congress could be induced To act"
"My brother Howell knows said
Chairman TAYLOR that when they in
vestigated the Mormons in Utah they
went TO every length 20 get informa-
ton ] think there IS uo profit in
discussion here the intention of Con
gress in ordering this Investigation
There is no question about the power
or Congress to investigate anything
anybody for the benefit of the peor.
Of the United States
Howell stated that he would not
again present his views on the right
Of the committee to appear here, but
as the chair had said what he thought
was the intention Of Congress 10 state
lis own view.
This closed the little debate and the
chairman asked Berger if Ge had any
thing go offer that he know of his
own knowledge
Mr. Bcrg,r then read See. Of Aru.
Gle . Of the Socialist Iarty's constitu-
ton. which provides that anyone adj
Continued on 2nd Page, 3rd Column.