The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-26
Subsidy ASKED
Of ROCKEFELLER
Ivy Lee Says Magnate Was
Urged to Found Nations
Business"
WHEELER WANTED HELP
Asserts Financier Would Not Aid
Chamber of Commerce Publication
Because Plan Was Not Feasible,

The fact was disclosed at the hearins
before the Federal Commission on Indus.
trial Relations yesterday that John D
Rockefeller. senior. was invited to finance
the Nations Business" the Official pub.
LEGATION Of the National Chamber of Com.
merce, and that after he had investigat.
ed the matter he declared 1t to be i'm.
practical on the advice of Ivy Lee. one
of his advisers.
The suggestion that Mr.. Rockefeller
finance the official organ of the National
Chamber OF Commerce came from Presi-
dent Harry Wheeler. Of that organiza-
ton. who had . prospectus worked out
for the publication by "a man named
Weldon. which involved a loan from Mr..
Rockefeller to the Newspaper of SaSoUOO.
to be repaid as soon as the paper was on
its feet
Wanted Complete Publicity.
Mr.. Lee. who revealed the matter to
the commission yesterday. said IL was
expressly stipulated on behalf of Mr..
Rockefeller by Mr.. Lee that the fullest
publicity was to be given to the matter
if Mr.. Rockefeller embarked upon the
enterprise. Mr.. Lee said he was con-
WINGED that the plan would not have put
| the publication on a paying basis. and
that President Fahey, Of the chamber,
agreed with him.
Mr. Lee denied that Mr.. Rockefeller
| had been giving financial aid to the
| National Chamber of Commerce He
said his chief was in sympathy with
the general purposes Of the organiza-
tion and would do what he could legiti-
| mately to promote its interests. There
was no suggestion at any time that
the publication was to be used by Mr..
Rockefeller to promote any Of his inter-
ests.
Chairman Walsh read q letter purport-
ing to be from the president of one
commercial body in which the writer
| said he had been advised that Mr.. Rock
efeller dominated the Chamber Of Com
merce. When the commission obtained
the correspondence Of Mr.. Lee, the origi-
nal letter written by President Wheeler
was withheld as privileged" Mr.. Lee
informed Chairman Walsh yesterday that
he was willing that the chairman might
the secretary Of the commission should
go to New York and enjoy a private
view Of the letter from Wheeler to
Rockefeller.
Did Not Employ Publicity.
Asked II Mr. Rockefeller was financing
any other publications. the witness re-
piled positively that his chief was not
backing any publications anywhere.
Il believe that the great mistake
made by the Rockefeller investments In
the past was that they did not employ
publicity more than they did," observed
the witness.
As a director of the Colorado Fuel and
Iron Company, he said he believed its
officers made a mistake. In that they
did not meet and confer with the strik-
ing workmen. He said the conference
held after the strike with certain alleged
representatives Of the strikers was not.
to his mind. a fair one. because he did
not believe the men CHOSEN by Gov. Am
mon to represent tho laborers were
truly representative"
IF ! had been a director Of the Colo
RADIO Fuel and Iron Company at the time,
I might have done as the officers did.
but looking at it now believe mistakes
wer made. I think Mr.. Rockefeller feels
that way about it,
Mr.. Lee testified he believed In the
right of workingmen to organize and was
not committed to tho open shop as a
policy.
Angry at Wa1sh's Methods.
The sarp division in the commission
over the manner in which Chairman
Walsh is conducting the hearing cropped
out in the morning session when there
was a mild run in between Commits
sioner Weinstock and Chairman Walsh.
The chairman was quizzing Mackenzie
King. the Canadian expert employed by
the Rockefeller Foundation. The ques-
lions were OF a kind that were not
pleasing to the witness. Mr. weinstock
and Mrs. ]. Borden Hartman were man.
ifesting their impatience with Mr..
Walsh's tactics. Once Mrs Hartman
expressed dissent by an expression loud
enough to be heard distinctly In the rear
Of the hearing room. Finally Commits
sioner Weinstock said:
May ] ask, Mr.. Chairman. the OBJ
ject Of this line of questioning?
You may not" sharply replied the
chairman. turning and facing the ques-
tioninS commissioner. Il am not on the
stand, and I am not being questioned. +"
Then may I ask the object?' inquired
Mr.. King. AS I am on the witness
stand
You may not" sharply retorted Mr..
Walsh. 1.-The object Of my questions will |
be clear later"
At another time in the morning hear |
ng. Witness King faced Chairman Walsh |
angrily and served notice on him that he |
lid not intend to permit his testimony to |
De perverted"
Il don't care how insulting your state
nents may be-" retorted Chairman |
Walsh. Il intend to question you lust al
questioned your employer, Mr.. Rookie
'eller.'
Much Of tho testimony Of Mr.. King
vas devoted to giving his views as an ex-
pert on how TO deal with the problem of
he labor question. The witness expressed
he opinion that many times the work
men had made a great mistake Of pro-
onging strike merely to enforce the
recognition Of unionism. He urged the
commission to recommend a statute pro-
riding that before any strike shall he
declared the issue between labor and
apital be investigated by the govern
nent. /
YnNAY nFV,rYTYAv1