The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-06

| had been precipitated when Repre-
sentative Harrison. Democrat, asked
Mr.. Wood why he had not satisfied
himself as to the identity Of the
mysterious "A Curtis"
Representative Wood is not the
author OF the charges under inquiry
here" protested Mr.. Chipperfield. "and
i his motives cannot be impugned.
think that we are losing sight of the
fact that these scandalous charges
were made by Thomas w. Lawson Of
Boston, and it is my understanding
that Mr.. lawson was the chief
beneficiary of this falling market"
| Representative Harrison called at
tention to the fact that Woods first
resolution was produced before Law
son had made any statement and be-
fore the letter from "A. Curtis" alleg-
ed New York broker. had been receiv-
ed.
''The question" Mr.. chipperheld in
sisted, els whether there was a leak
and whether government officials i'm
properly proflted by It,
| do you think there was a leak p
asked Representative Campbell Of Mr.,
Harrison.
yes" replied Mr.. Harrison. but ]
| think the leak came from the repre-
sentatives Of those two Wall street
papers or else the leak came back from
foreign centers."
Representative Gardner OF Massa-
chusetts, who on the floor Of the house,
Jan. 8, said he knew there was leak
| and that the whole stock excange
transactions showed 1t. was then call
ed to the witness stand.
Representative Gardner testified he
was convinced there had been q leak
because at 2:06 p. m, Dec. 20, ten
hours before the peace note was re-
leased for publication and four hours
before it had been. placed in the hands
of the news agencies, the following
dispatch was sent out over the Dow,
Jones & Company ticker:
"The renewed selling OF the mar
ket is due to reports received by
brokers' private wires from Washing
ton to the effect that the administra-
ton will, in the near future. address
to the belligerents some suggestion or
definite is obtainable in administra-
ton circles"
There is your proof Of a leak"
said Mr.. Gardner. Miracles don't 20
on the stock exchange and Dow, Jones
and Company don't deal in prophe-
cies."
Mr.. Gardner added that his attorney
would be here next week and by SUBJ
hitting figures which showed fluctua-
the committee that there had been q
leak.
Gardner also said that while The
Wall Street Journal on December 20
stated: There will be no peace mani
festo issued by President Wilson," The
New York Evening Sun on that date
reported rumors and hints of the
sending Of such note in the following
terms: A. :. 4
"The Washington advices were
bearish. these saying that President
Wilson may address the foreign pow,
ers on the peace proposals"
Where did The Sun get this In
formation" asked Mr.. Gardner.
IT think that see indications Of q
ible watermark OF leak Ia contained
in the ticker record OF Dow. Jones q
Co.
"The beginning Of the downward
tendency in the stock market is first
apparent between 12:45 and 1:46 Of
December 10. United States Steel,
which opened at 10 o'clock at 1874
as 109& and closed at liz.
ION December 20, opening at liz,
1t continued it's downward course,
closing at 108. Then came the uub.
LEGATION of the note.
ION December 81. it opened at
104h, showed an upward tendency un-
til almost noon, then fell. touching its
lowest point at 100h and closing at
101.
"A complete comparison of the
course of prices presents a chain Of
events which beyond peradventure of
doubt, proves the existence of a leak
eff you find a prima facie case that
there was a leak, you cannot take the
position that you will do nothing at
all until someone informs you as to
the names OF those who proflted by
the leak or the names OF those respon-
sible for the leak.
'It seems to me that the right way
for you to go about the matter is to
find out from the president with whom
he talked the peace note over and then
summon them and find out whether
in any way they might inadvertently
have let the cat out Of the bag"
Next I should get a list of those
employees OF the White House and the
state department and Of the embassies
abroad who handled this particular
peace note. / think you will find that
list quite formidable in length"
Have you any evidence that would
connect anyone at the White House
with the leaK?" asked Chairman
Henry.
None whatever" said Mr.. Gardner.
ments and letters which are worth
nothing as evidence"
Have you any evidence that would
connect anyone at the state depart
ment?"
mo. nor anyone else" Gardner re-
piled. a
Il have no ,vidence that / consider
worth the paper that it is written
on"
Representative Gardner said he
absolved Secretary Lansing and Sec
rotary Tumuity OF all suspicion.
II believe the present secretary OF
suspicion" he said
Representative Campbell said there
was no disposition on the part of the
Republican minority to make political
capital in this matter, but that he con-
sidered it deplorable that an apparent
attempt was being made to shield"
anyone in the executive department.
Mr.. Harrison objected to the sug-
geStion that any leak" came from the
government departments and insisted
the leak was through the representa-
tives of The Wall Street Journal and
Financial America. He related how
newspaper correspondents on Dec. 90,
had told them in confidence that the
note. was to be published after it had
been sent to Europe and that the
majority OF them had respected his
confidence.
THE other newspaper men kept the
faith" he said, "but 1t appears that
the representatives of The Wall Street
Journal and Financial America did not
and it went out over the ticker and
the market broke"