New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-16
Begin To-day Inquiry Into
Work of Friends and
Foes of Measure.
CLOSURE FIGHT
WITHOUT RESULT
Neither Democrats Nor Repub-
licans Gain After Long Par
liamentary Wrangle.

alleged Hobbies for the snip purchase
bill by taking up and passing Senator
Rurtop's resolution for an inquiry, 40
amended a. to cover opposition TO the
measure as well as activities in its sup
port.
The resolution, "a passed, directs in
ouiry as to "whether any individual
firm or corporation in the United states
has made loans or advances TO any
individual. firm or corporation owning
4 ships which are detained in the ports
Of the United States or elsewhere, 70
avoid the consequences OF war "hetheI
they have ~ any time obtained options
upon any such ships. and whether sucn
/ persors or corporations, having MADE
4 loans or obtained such options, nave
any direct or indirect connection with
/ tho government Of the United states.
Inquiry is also TO be made as TO what
/ efforts "the so-called shipping trust or
any firm, person or corporation en-
gagged or Interested In shipping nave
/ directly or indirectly made 10 prevenV
/ the massage Of the ship purchase Dill,
/ whether any company Of ship owners,
or Chamber of Commerce or other
/ BODY Influenced or dominated by sni
/ owners whose vessels would compete
! with the ships TO be purchased or con
structed under said act have had at
torneys or lobbyists at Washington
working to consummate the defeat OF
said bill, and whether any senator or
/ Senators OF the United States are stock
/ owners or bond holders Of the United
/ Fruit Company. or any other company
/ owning ships. which would compete
with the ships TO be purchased or con-
structed under the provisions OF SAID
/ bill"
Inquiry to Start To-day.
The special committee Of five ap-
| pointed by Nice-President Marshall 10
/ make this investigation are Senators
/ Walsh. Simmons, Reed, Weeks and
Burton. They will start tomorrow TO
/ yum down the rumors that the shipping
trust il pulling the strings OF the OPP
position and that interested bankers
are giving impetus TO the fight for the
+ bill.
/ 1t is probable that Secretary McAdoo
will be one of the first witnesses called
/ before the committee. It has been in
timated in the Senate that the Secre-
tarv of the Treasury has been most &C
! tive in demanding a government owned
line Of steamers, and that certain
banking interests in New York. among
them Kuhn. Loeb & Co., have had more
than a passing interest in the outcome
Of the fight. II has been said that
some of these New York financial con-
Germs have secured options on belllger-
ent ships bottled up in harbors OF the
United States, with a view TO selling
them to the government.
When the Senate convened Senator
Reed sought to press consideration or
his resolution to end debate and vote
on the shin purchase bill on February
10. Amendments were pending, and
before any definite conclusion was
reached points Of order, decisions from
the chair and appeals from these de-
cisions led the Senate into a parlis-
mentarv morass, in which it foundered
for long time.
Marshall Breaks Tie Votes.
Twice a tie vote was cast and the
Vice President decided the issue.
When the parliamentary muddle had
been cleared the Reed resolution re-
NAMED the pending question, and
Senator Norris promptly offered as a
substitute a general cloture rule. To
this Senator Cummins offered an
amendment prohibiting voting by Sen
ators bound BY caucus rule.
In this situation the cloture fight
stood at the end of the days session.
Senators Lodge and Root, by holding
the floor. prevented further voting,
and the Democrats were willing 10 call
halt by permitting a recess to be
taken until tomorrow.
Paul VI. Warburg, of the Federal Re
serve Board, whose name has been
brought IN in the Senate, when Sena-
tors opposed TO the ship bill have ques-
toned whether Kuhn, Loeb e. Co, OF
which he was formerly member, were
not interested in selling German ships
TO the government, made statement
to-day disclaimiag that he ever had
discussed the ship bill! with any one,
and reiterating that he gave up all out
side affiliations when he joined the Fed
Cral Board
81 have never discussed with Secre-
tary McAdco nor any member of the
administration or Congress, directly or
indirectly, the purchase or sale of the
ships of the Hamburg American Line,
or any other line" said Mr.. Warburg.
As a matter Of fact, | have conscien-
tiouely avoided all political discussions,
and there is not a living soul in the
word fsvoring the ship purchase bill"
Kuhn, Loeb & Co. issued the follow
ing statement yesterday concerning the
firms alleged activities in favor of the
shipping bill now before Congress:
at had not been our intention to
take any notice Of the statements made
in connection with the shipping bill
now before Congress, but the mention
Of our name has become so persistent
that we deem il proper 10 state specif-
cally what is probably already general
ly known.
paul w. Warburg retired from our
firm when he became a member of the
Federal Reserve Board, and has since
then had absolutely no direct or indi-
rect connection with II.
"His brother, Max NJ. Warburg, who
Is q resident OF Hamburg, Germany
and who is a member of the board OF
directors Of the Hamburg American
Line, has never had any direct or in.
direct interest in our firm.
1--WE are private bankers, and as such
cannot receive government deposits.
ave are not the bankers for the
Hamburg American Line, have never
issued any securities for account OF
that company or done any business
for IL.
ave have no direct or indirect in
terest whatsoever in the passage Of the
shipping bill.
ave have never considered, nor ha,
IL ever been proposed 10 US 70 CON
slider, acting as intermediates in the
sale 10 the United States government
or 20 others of ships now interned in
/ this country"