Evening star., 1917-09-27
ASKSPR0BE Of FUND
|NSTEAD0 OF HIMSELF
Representative HefIin Urges
Committee to investigate
Use of German Money.
SURPRISE IN HOUSE HINTED

Alabama appeared before the rules COM
mittee Of the House today and laid be-
fore the members plea that the com
mittee devote its attention to investigat
ing how the Count Won Bernstorff fund
was to be used on Congress. rather than
an investigation of him.
In a long speech Mr.. Heflin told the
rules committee substantially what he
has said before publicly and privately,
denying that he had said anything
about German gambling room. where
members of Congress could be paid for
pro-German action.
The rules committee had before It the
Norton and Fordney resolutions to in
vestigate Representative Hefiin's re-
marks on the floor Of the House, but did
not como to any conclusion today.
Members Of the House, however. were
chamber that they had better stay in
there is possibility that 4 resolution
of the highest privilege will be pre-
sented on the floor of the House unless
the rules committee makes favorable
within a short time.
Fails to Name Suspicious" Members
Many members expected that Repre-
sentative Heflin would name some of
the thirteen or fourteen suspicious"
members.
The nearest he came to this today was
in the following statement to the rules
committee:
Il want to ask about the bill Of Rep
resentatfve Mason of Illinois: I want to
bere- l want to know how many are
in this secret compact to fight the Sc
lective draft in the next campaign, and
how many will support the Britten bill
to except German American citizens"
Chairman Pou announced that an
other meeting Of the committee would
be held tomorrow morning.
Mr.. Heflin's Statement.
Representative Hefin last night is.
sued a statement saying he did not in
clude voting against the war resolu-
tion and the selectiye draft bill al
suspicious acts"
Some Of the truest and best men in
the House." he said. voted contrary to
the way 1 voted on these two questions
and they have been and are absolutely
loyal. The effort is now being made
by some whose conduct have criticised
to get members whose loyalty I never
have questioned to help them out OF
trouble. I intended to make this plair
last Monday. but for some reason was
not allowed to do SO.
Representative Norton was allowed
to speak and to say anything that he
wanted to. but the privilege of answer
ing him was denied me. Norton knew
before he spoke that had denied that
the statement of the Washington Post
(regarding the existence of a gambling
institution where German money was
mitted to tell this on the floor Of the
House.
Will Not Be Suppressed.
IT do not intend that the few whose
conduct is under suspicion shall deceive
the other members into believing that
have them in mind. No mistreatment OF
me by previous arrangement or otherwise
will prevent me from criticislng and de-
nouncing any Potsdamer who dares OF
says anything that l regard as disloyal."
Mr.. Hefiin today reiterated his willing
ness to name to an investigating COM
mittee the men that he declared on the
floor. had acted suspiciously' in connec-
ton with the war.
Hehin Not Rebuked.
II the Star Of yesterday this para
graph appears in an article on the first
page:
TT was learned today that President
Wilson has expressed deep-regret at
the speech of Representative Hefin,
characterizing 1t as a great mistake"
There is not the slightest foundation
in fact for this statement" Secretary
Tumulty today said. Not at any time
has the President made the matter a
subject of conversation or expressed an
opinion concerning it.
From the outset, Mr.. Hefiin has
earned the friendship and esteem Of the
President by reason of his intense
Americanism and unfaltering support
Of every American measure.
'1n view of this. under no circum-
stances would the President lend him
self to any effort to prejudge or to
prejudice a case in process Of inquiry"