The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-16
'SIDELIGHTS ON THE
HEARING SATURDAY:
KETTIG STATEMENT
Says He Feels Much Encouraged at
Results-Confident Birmingham
Will Get Bank-Extends His
Thanks to Those Who
Assisted Committee
BY ELLIS c. HOLLUMs

interests of securing for Birmingham a
regional bank reached this city yester-
day afternoon. They were W. p G..
Harding, Webb w. Crawford and W. II.
kettig. They attended a banquet in At
lanta Saturday given by the bankers of
that city and thus missed the night train
for Birmingham.
Every member of the Birmingham party
lett Birmingham Saturday morning filled
with confidence. They arrived in At
lanta anu what they saw and heard only
added to their confidence. 1t was learned
very soon after the arrival of the party
that Atlanta had been heard, and that,
judging from the arguments offered, had
lost practically all hopes. The Georgians.
however, are ''whistling' to keep up their
courage and will not admit that they pre-
sented very weak argument in favor of
the Gate City
The Chattanooga delegation came to
grief at the hands of the inexorable Nc
Adoo, who fired questions at their speak
ers in the most coldly impersonal man
ner possible to imagine. Savannah met
the same fate as Chattanooga and CO.
unbia was even worse served, If such be
possible
Secretary McAdoo occupied the middle
chair at a table with the federal reserve
beard. John Slelton Williams sat at his
left and Secretary Houston on his right.
The Secretary of the Treasury sat up
very straight and prim most of the time,
keeping his arms folded tightly across
his chest. At times he would interrupt
speaker in the midst of what the
speaker evidently thought to be his
most powerful argument, asking ques-
tion that would completely confuse the
witness Particularly was this true In
the examination of the Chattanooga dele
CATION. A gentlman from Savannah, who
was introduced as "the Hon. Joseph
Gray" took the stand, and began a pre-
liminary fencing bout with the Secretary
OF the Treasury.
Mr.. McAdoo attempted to impress upon
Mr.. Gray that oratory would not be per-
mitted. Mr.. Gray told the commission
that he was not banker, and then
raased a moment to admit that he was
student of political economy Mr.. Gray
managed to make this admission about 80
times before finally being suppressed by
Mr.. McAdoo. Mr.. Gray was asked sew
eral questions, to all of which he replied
that he had no answer, and that he came
to the hearing in the capacity of a polit-
ical economist, or rather student of
economic conditions. He said that he
would let some of the bankers from Sa-
yennah answer questions; that he wanted
to give facts Mr.. McAdoo here interrupt
ed saying that the committee wanted
facts, but had as yet secured none from
Mr. Gray The audience laughed.
When the Birmingham delegation was
called Mr.. Kettig first faced the federal
commission and told them that there were
with the Birmingham party many ora
tors. but" said Mr.. Kettig, I'VE will
not inflict such punishment upon you gem
tlemen. We have decided that Mr.. w. L.
C. Harding shall be our principal speak,
ey, and he will give to you only facts and
figures.
Mr. Kettigs little talk apparently I'M
pressed the federal reserve board. Mr..
McAdoo again Strengthened himself in his
chair and forgot to fold his arms. Mr.
Houston who had been to all appearances,
asleep. reused himself and Mr.. Williams
leaned forward with an expectant man.
ner Mr.. Harding assured the committee
that he had burned his speech and had
left only his figures. That these figures
were sufficient to carry birmingham
point is not doubted.
Entire Attention to Harding
The committee gave to Mr.. Harding,
DBlnaDS, Int 1lOSl uHlHltTTupteu Itdf
| ing of the day, questioning him only
at such times as Secretary McAdoo
wanted to get his opinion on any spe-
ciai phase of the law. Secretary Hous-
ton remained wideawake during the
whole time and all of the committee
| men seemed especially anxious to hear
| W hat the Birmingham delegation had
to present. Mr.. Harding was admit
| tediy the best speaker of the day
| ano there We're many-in that his fig
ures carried more weight than idle
words fluently spoken.
| The monotony of the hearing yester-
Gay was relieved much by the witt
cisms of Secretary McAdoo, who never
let pass an opportunity to make a
nun or gently "roast" a speaker or a
| city His jokes held no sting but they
caused laugh in every instance. The
| secretary has a most engaging smile,
when he chooses to smile, but at short
Intervals during the hearings in the
morning hours his arms would quick
ly unwind and long, lean finger
would be pointed at a speaker, while
| the speaker demanded: How do you
know that?" And usually the speaker
would be so startled that he would
admit that he did not really know 1t
Just hearsay evidence. so to speak.
The secretarys arms would then slow
ly get back to the position across his
chest and he would patiently listen to
the speaker.
Secretary Houston was once a school
| teacher, and 1T Is probable that he
| learned in school the art of appear
/ Ing to sleep yet be wide awake. At
times in the morning he would ap-
parently be nodding and just before
he dropped off into the land of dreams
he would suddenly snap out a ques-
tion, never for moment raising his
/ head. The speaker in nearly every in
stance asked him to repeat his ques-
tions and in nearly every instance they
had no answer ready. Mr.. Houston
proved to be about as good as Secre-
tary McAdoo in leading speakers into
| serious blunders or misstatements
even though he appeared to sleep. The
! Chattanoogans learned that he was not
asleep several times when perhaps the
entire audience thought him so and he
never came off second best in an argu-
mont.
Williams Asks Questions
| Mr.. Williams was listening most of
the time and at intervals asked ques-
tions of witnesses.
! Birmingham bankers who were pres
|