South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-13
LAWSON MAY Be
FORCED TO TELL
Rules Committee Empowered
to Bring Contempt Charges
Against Him.

WASHINGTON. Jan. I3.-Clothed
with new powers for forcing a wit
ness TO testify, the house rules COM
mittee will call Thomas W Lawson
before il again, probably Monday,
and demand that he name the con-
gresham. whom he says told him
that a cabinet officer. a member OF
congress and a broker were in q
conspiracy TO make money in the
stock market on official secrets.
If Lawson again refuses TO name
the congressman and the trio in
volved in his story, as il is generally
believed he will, the committee then
will > port him either TO the house
or 80. district courts on contempt
charges.
This plan was agreed upon by
the committee Friday after an acri-
mOnious debate between democrats
and republicans on the floor of the
house had upset the generally &C
cepted idea that agitation over ru-
mors of a leak in advance of Pres't
Wilson's peace note was about TO
Subside. During the discussion re-
publicans charged that the demo-
Gratis we're shutting off the inquiry
because they were afraid OF il,
while the democrats insisted that
their opponents were playing par
tisan politics.
Offers Proposition.
When the house had talked for
two hours and was about to vote on
the committees report. Rep. Can
trill of Kentucky. a democrat, of
the committee who had not joined
in the debate, made a proposition
that changed the whole situation.
Let the committee be instruct
ed" he said, ito bring Thomas w.
Lawson before il and submit TO him
in writing the question he refused TO
answer. II he does not answer, then
let lawson be cited before the bar
of this house and determine wheth-
er Thomas w Lawson has more
power than the American congress-"
Everybody was surprised by the
suggestion, but In a moment indorSe-
ments began to come from members
on both sides of the house, includ-
ing Chairman Henry of the COM
mittee. In the end il was agreed
that the committee should have five
additional days in which 10 report
on the Wood resolution, a report on
which originally was ordered for
Saturday. and Mr.. Henry immedi-
q a 90 Dc
mittee for Saturday 20 work out
plans for recalling Lawson.
Make Amendments.
The Wood resolution with amend
ments or some substitute to broaden
the committees power probably will
be brought before the house Satur-
day and acted on Immediately so
the committee can proceed with its
hearing Monday.
During the days Debate the dem
ocrats insisted that no evidence
worthy Of serious consideration had
been produced and that il was USE
less to continue consideration Of ru-
mors. The republicans, however.
insisted that only a thorough inves-
tigation would clear congress OF
damaging reports which have be-
come current since the leak
charges first were brought.
Lawson was assailed on both
sides of the house. No one went so
far as TO say that the charges
should not be taken seriously, but
republicans continued 20 urge that
now he had made them, he should
be forced TO put up or shut up"
Rep. Harrison. democrat, accus-
ing the republicans of pushing the
inquiry for partisan purposes, as
sailed Rep. Wood particularly for
introducing his resolution when he
was in possession of no facts and
could produce nothing more than a
measley, anonymous letter."
Mr.. Wood replied that he had no
to offer for introducing the
resolution and that he thought a
thorough inquiry alone would salts
fy the country.