The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-23
Charges Cabinet Member and
Friend High in Government
Pro6ted by information
SAY MELTED FORTUNES
BY "RICCING MARKET"
Calls for Thorough lnvestiga-
ton of Rumor That Men on
Inside Have Cleaned Up"
Because knowledge of Note

Washington. Dec. % wv h a I
Washington officials. If any, made
stupendous profits out of the Wall
Street peace panic, precipitated by
President Wilson's peace note?" was
the question which today confronted
Congress and official Washington. with
a formal demand for an investigation
OF the financial activity of government
officials placed before the House by
Representative Wood Il lighting Re
publican from Indiana, the question
became the center of a cyclone of ex-
cited comment which threatened tc
assume scandalous proportions
Representative Wood said tonight
that he had introduced his resolution
because of the charges which had
come to his attention
1T has been reported" he said
that a member of the cabinet. and al
least one other official hish In the
councils of the administration were
involved in financial deals in the stock
market which netted them consider
able fortunes / believe the matter
calls for thorough and complete in
vestigation.
Alleged TO Have Rugged" Market.
Grave and serious charges are sci
forth in the resolution which Repre-
sentative Wood introduced in the
House. 1t demands an investigation
to determine whether any one high
in authority in the governmental af-
fairs or any relative OF any one
high in authority" profited through
the peace panic. Washington was to-
night rife with speculation as to the
identity of the government officials al
whom the resolution was aimed. ano
the speculation brought out rumors OF
n general raid on the Now York Stock
Exchange in connection with the
Presidents peace note. which was de-
scribed as perilously close to rigging
the market" There was much dis
cussion of the plain hint in the Woo6
resolution that some government Of
ficials had cleaned up in the bear
market, through advance Information
as to the contents of the President:
note.
Administ ration leaders in thu
House were prepared to smother III,
Wood resolution as soon as the Christ
mas holidays are over. But Repre-
sentative Wood declared tonight tina
he would demand action. and that n
would have strong support. 1t Il
possible that the Republican side o
the House will so handle the situation
to force the Democratic side to in
vestigate so AS to eXonerate officials
Whatever disposition is made thu
resolution will he thoroughly airet
in Congress Several Republican
members expressed their intention Il
make a private inquiry into the Wal
Street raid with view to laying thu
entire matter before the House = il
"a no ~
Referred to Committee.
The Wood resolution. which Wa
referred to the House Rules Com
mittee, would provide: That a com
mittee of five Representatives be ap
pointed by the Speaker to Investigate
and make report as TO whether o.
not any one high in the admintstra
ton Of the governmental affairs OF th'
United States or any relative or an,
one high in authority in the govern
mental affairs of the United States
profited financially either directly o.
Indirectly. by the fluctuation In thu
stock market occurring on Thursday
December 81, 1915. following the TIVE
contradictory interpretations given t.
the public from the Office of the Sec
rotary OF State concerning the not
Of eiae-President- of United States
dated December IS. 1915. to the bel
ligerent powers"
Adtourns For Holidays.
Congress adjourned for the Christ
mas holidays today and Will not NEE
again until January 2. Not long afteI
the wheels of legislation were brough
to a standstill there was genera
exodus OF statesmen for their home
districts to enjoy the Yuletide season
Senators and Representatives alike
joined the homeward rush with eager
ness. In the Senate during the closing
hours, there seemed manifest gen
eral desire to defer action upon som'
Of the larger legislative matters unit
after New Year. At the time OF ad
journment the Senate had not passed
during the entire session q single
measure OF general Importance.
Before the Senate adjourned II re
ceived from the judiciary committed
a favorable report on the nationwide
prohibition amendment resolution
when the report was submitted b!
Senator Chiffon, OF West Virginia, /
was Immediately sent to the calendar
The prohibition leaders will attemp
to call the report up for action aftel
the holidays.
ffood control hin Favored.
The House food control bill. appro
propriating $45.000.000 for improve
ment of the Mississippi River. between
the mouth Of the Ohio and the Gui
OF Mexico, and $5.600.000 for tn,
Sacramento River in California, wal
recommended for passage by the Sen
ate Commerce Committee. The bill
as recommended by the committed
would restrict the expenditure on tn,
Mississippi River to $4,000. 900 ant
on the Sacraento River to $1,000. 00l
in any one fiscal year.
The House before ad5ourning CLEANED
up i've of the big appropriation bills
a record performance. Passage thi
afternoon OF the diplomatic and con
sular appropriation bill Carrying 81
tceatinuea oa ,ond Pax&s ].