Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-09
LAWSON DEF|ES
CONGRESS-; Will
TELL NO Names
Motion to Cite Him Before the
House for Contempt Taken
Under Amusement by the
House Rules Committee.
HOT ROW WITH PROBERS
Witness Says He Has Evidence
Cabinet Official Benefi-
ciary of Leak"
WON'T GIVE INFORMATION

WON'T GIVE INFORMATION
Washington, Jan. S--Through be-
wildering maze of intimations and
heated colloquies which turned the
hearing into an uproar, the house
rules committee wrestled for several
hours today with Thomas w. Lawson
of Boston without obtaining any
definite information to substantiate
the stories OF leak to Wall street
in advance Of the presidents peace
note.
When the committee adjourned un-
til tomorrow with Mr.. Lawson's ex-
animation uncompleted motion to
cite him before the bar of the house
for contempt because he refused to
give names had been considered in
executive session and taken under ad-
viscmcnt,
Denial By Tumulty.
Earlier in the day Joseph p
Tumulty, secretary to President Viii
son. whose name was mentioned by
Representative Wood in the rumors
he laid before the committee last week
appeared to give an emphatic state
ment, endorsed by the president that
he had no knowledge of the peace
note before it was given to the press.
He also denied the report repeated
by Representative Wood that Mr.
+ Tumulty and Bernard Baruch, a New
York broker had conferred in New
York hotel few days before the note
was made public. Mr.. Tumulty de-
nounced the action of Representative
Wood in making public charges based
on letter from an unidentified man,
and declared from the witness stand,
looking Representative Wood in the
face that he was still awaiting the
congressmans apology,
Lansing on Stand.
Secretary Lansing OF the State de-
partment also took the stand to as
sert that he had no knowledge what
ever of advance information having
been circulated regarding the peace
note. Secretary Lansing related the
physical history of the note, how it
was prepared, through whose hands if
passed, and OF his participation in its :
preparation. He also told of a state
ment he had given in confidence to
newspapermen on the morning before
the note was made public, in which he
told them to expect note at 5 o'clock
that evening for publication Thursday
morning. He did not 60 into details
with the correspondents, he said, but,
did say that it was not proposal for
peace nor an offer OF mediation.
Beyond Scope Of Committee.
The secretary further stated that he /,
had not given the possible effect OF
the note on the stock market the least
thought, but that he had cautioned
secrecy because of the courtesy due
to the foreign nations that the COM
munication should be published here
before it was received abroad.
When Representative Chiperheld,
republican Of Illinois, sought to inter-
rogatc Secretary Lansing regarding
his Interpretation of the note on the
day following its publication the Sec
rotary said firmly that such question:
ing was going beyond the scope of
the inquiry and was sustained by the
| committee.
The commitatee's troubles with Mr.,
Lawson began soon after the financier
took the stand, and grew into a noisy
row, quoted only after Chairman
Henry had threatened to clear the
room OF spectators and proceed in
executive session.
After declaring that he had evidence
of leak and asserting that he had
information from a member of con-
gress that cabinet official had been
beneficiary, Lawson fatty refused 10
give the names to the committee. He
announced dchantly that he would
give no names regardless of consc-
qucnces, and declared:
You may punish me il you wish,
but | will not besmirch the names OF
men in high positions at this prelim-
mary inquiry; my only business here
is to give information that would war
rant you in ordering full investiga-
ton. This think / have DONE"
Before this the witness had flown
into passion when questioned by
Representative Chiperheld about his
book, "Frenzied Finance" s
Won't Be Bulldozed.
There were heated exchanges, dur
ing which the word -four -husher"
could be heard above the general din,
which interrupted the record of the
official stenographer. Lawson, shaking
his hand in Representative Clipper
| Ga1d'c faca ,ccarfed that he tpa,r HE
rights and would not be bulldozcd
He finally was pulled into chair by
the chief clerk OF the house. The col-
loquy with Representative Chiper-
field and some of Lawson's other re-
marks were cxpunged from the rec-
ord +.
The examination then proceeded
more quietly. Mr.. Lawson frequently
asked to be excused from answering
question, but not until he had told an
other story, at first hypothetically,
and then as report related to him,
to the effect that member of the
cabinet, United States senator and
New York banker had joint stock
gambling account, which was shared
among them.
Charges Against Congress.
He fatty refused, despite persistent
efforts of the committee, to reveal
these names, declaring first that he
would not besmirch the names of men
in high places at preliminary inquiry,
and, secondly, that he did not feel
called upon at this stage of the in
uuiry to give information which