The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-02-16
Senate Democrats and Re-
publicans Unite on
Inquiry
INTO ALLEGED
LOBBYING
By the So-Called shipping
Trust"-Government Off
Gals to Be Included

Washington, Feb. 49,. Republicans and
Democrats in the Senate got together
yesterday and adopted unanimously a
resolution to look into charges of lobby
ing by the so-called shipping trust and
to inquire into any negotiations by ad-
ministration officials looking toward the
purchase of belligerent ships by the
United States government in the event
of the passage of ship purchase bill.
This action grew out of the Burton
resolution Of last Saturday relating to
the allegations that big interests are
seeking to unload interned ships on the
government. The Senate amended the
resolution so as to include allegations
that the shipping trust has been active
against the ship purchase bill.
Another amendment provides for IN.
ouiry into whether any senator IL a
stakeholder or bondholder Of the United
Fruit Co. or any other concern which
might suffer from the competition OF
government owned ships.
A committee of five senator's was
named to make the inquiry. 1t consists
of Senators Walsh, Simmons and Reed,
Democrats. and Burton and Weeks, Re
publicans. An early and searching probe
is expected. Opinion is divided whether
there will be sensational disclosures
II has been intimated many times IN
the debate on the ship purchase bill and
elsewhere. that powerful New York finan-
cial interests had options on some OF
the German interned ships and sought
to sell them to the government; and that
certain government officials knew it.
This led Senator Burton Saturday to
nut in two resolntions--one directed to
the secretary Of the treasury, asking for
any facts in his possession as to whether
rhere was any such scheme on foot, and
the other providing for an investigation
of the facts by committee of five sem
ators. The contingent expenses commit
tee of the Senate met yesterday and re-
ported out the resolution Of inyestiga-
ton. amended as already indicated. Sec
rotary McAdoo had previously advised
Senator Fletcher and other Democratic
leaders that he welcomed an investiga-
ton. provided it included an inquiry into
shipping trust activities.
The Burton resolution was adoptcd
Yesterday against sharp debate, in which
Senate Reed protested against the name
of Secretary MeAdoo being dragged in, =
and criticized Senator Burton's course.
"The original resolution intimates that
there has been corrupt influence behind
the support Of this shipping bill" Chair
man Williams said in presenting the COM
mittee report 1T ia intended TO strike
at the secretary Of the treasury we
might as well be frank about that-and
nj a member Of the federal reserve board.
II there is rottenness on one side Of this
Denmark we had better see what is on
the other"
That amendments propose that the in
vcstigation include what efforts the so
called shipping trust has made TO prevent
the passage Of the ship purchase billi
that il be ascertained what shipping cor
porations or chambers Of commerce dom.
mated by shipping interests have main
tanned legal representatives, IN Washing
ton 90 oppose the bill. and that u also
b. asccrtained what senators are stock
or bondholders in the United Fruit Go.
or other shipping corporations with which
government ships might compete.