New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-04
Member of Defence Coun-
Gil "Sold Steel Short"
Wall Street Heard
WOOD UPSETS PLAN
TO SHUT OFF INQUIRY
Gardner Urges That Will
son Be Called to Clear
Up Honor of House
| From The Tribune Burtlu J

Washington, Jan. 3.-The name oil
Bernard Baruch, Wall Street tracer
heavy contributor TO the Wilson cam
paign fund and member OF the Coun
Gil of National Defence, was men
toned on the floor of the House OF
Representatives. to-day in connection
with the leak Of information from the
Administration that the peace note
was being sent to the belligerents.
over objections of Representative
Henry, chairman Of the committee
who. after conferences with Thomas
". Lawson yesterday, announced that
the Boston financier's charges were
mirage" Representative Wood sue
ceeded in having the House hold privi-
legged his resolution providing for an
inquiry into the Lawson allegation by
a committee Of FIVE. Then the resolu-
ton was referred to the Rules Com
mittee with instructions TO report on
il ia ten days.
Mr.. Henry Immediately called
meeting for tomorrow morning 20
consider the resolution, and to-nIgnt
both Democrats and Republicans OF
the committee were demanding that
Mr.. Lawson, Representative WOOD
and others be called to testify.
Baruch Sold Steel Short
II was not stated positively that the
leak had been to Mr.. Baruch. Repre-
sentative william S. Bennett, OF New
k.N ~
in New York was that thirty minutes
before the Presidents message was
made public" Mr.. Barueh had sold To-,
coo shares Of Steel common on rising
market.
Mr. Bennett referred 10 the question
as though the killing" made on ad-
vance information had been made on
Wednesday. II was pointed out
here tonight that actually the short
selling. apparently based on real in
formation, had been going on for days
before that
Mr.. Benne,'s statement. made in re-
spouse 20 an inquiry from Representa-
tive Garrett, OF the Rules Committee,
as TO what were the rumors regarding
the leak. was as follows:
81 will state 70 the gentleman from
Tennessee what the rumor is. The
rumor is that Barney Baruch a mem
Der of the Council Of National Defence,
was the man who was responsible for
this information getting to Wall Street,
and that thirty minutes before the
Presidents message was made public
he sold, on rising market in Steel, b
the way, $4,000 shares Of Steel com
mon short That is the rumor in New
York City, il the gentleman wants
names"
There was considerable applause fol-
lowing this statement.
Second only in Importance TO the
mention of Barney Baruch in connee-
ton with the leak was the declaration
by Representative Gardner that il he
were on the committee he would have
President Wilson put on the stand and
questioned as 20 the individuals with
whom he had discussed his peace note.
Mr.. Gardner declared he would then
put each OF these individuals on the
stand and pursue the matter rigor
ously, even including stenog-aphers
and typewriters used in framing the
document
What / say is this" declared Mr..
Gardner Not only is 10 rumored, but
ii is so, that there was a leak. and the
stock market showed il. Whether 10
was on the floor OF this House or in
the Executive | do not know. That is
not a question Of belief, that is not
question OF rumor. | say il is so.
(Applause.)
1T has been intimated and almost