The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-22
Finger of Suspicion Pointed at
Few Congressman Whose
Votes Were .Anti-American
HELM, OF ALABAMA,
URGES INVESTIGATION
National Capital Seethes Over
State Departments Discov-
cry of Attempt to Teutonize
Congress

congress
Washington. Sept 2l.-One and pos
sibiy two congressional Investigations
will follow the Count Won Bernstorff
disclosures. The house Is practically
certain TO conduct an inquiry and the
senate leaders tonight indicated that
the upper branch would probe the
$4,000 yellow dog" fund Bernstorff
asked for from Berlin. Congressman
were denounced on the floor today as
suspicious. Bitter resentment drove
members TO make statements of the
most vicious kind against other mem
hers. II was openly stated by some
members that they believed their col
Leagues had received German money.
lam trying 20 get more details -
replied Chairman Henry p. Flood, of
the house foreign affairs committee.
when asked II his committee would
cali for probe But il is almost Ger
tain thar T1Trre VIM rYE II yTrut7p'r
Representative Tom Hefiin. OF the
birmingham. Ala district. brought
matters 10 G head late in the afternoon
with stirring speech in which he
called upon the congress IN purge it
self Of the sl'tr cast upon it.
Points Iiugcr of Suspicion.
II 6o not know what mem hers Of
congress have been influenced" he
declared III / were permitted TO ex-
press my opinion ] could name thir-
teen or fourteen men in the two bodies
who in my Judgment. have acted in
suspiejo@s fashion.
we are al war with the most
desperate brute force that ever APP
resred upon the earth, and wn must
ret as we are At war We must not
rern1it members Of congress to do
things that are not tn Keeping with
the biggest and hest interests OF our
country when we are Mt war
Won RernstorfT said he was pro-
ceedine 20 do what? To use that $780,
600, For what purrose9 To influence
the congress of the United States
WHARF was that money. SPENT What
,E>se kAst 'fisla ~ rlAa%h@
Asks for Investigations
- must admit thst the conduct OF
some that ] know has heen suspicious
and 7 wart To say In conclusion as a
mem hers If this congress repudiate
the insult. The few who have acted
suspiciousiy. in my mind. have no
word fer, They have my supremest
contempt and deserve the contempt Of
the American peonle In tho. ma me Of
thu congress and the honor OF nav
country. / am asking ( or an invest
cation ~ the charges OF Won BERN
storT in order 20 see who Is corrupt in
this matter"
FToss. ~ Ohio. and Howard. OF
rFS4r AAs
propaganda worked directly VIII
money changing hands and reaching
government officials
Il can point to the men In this
house who. 7 believe received money"
declared Howard Their actions GER
ssinly indicate It and they certainly
are more prosperous now than they
have ever been "
Foss. Howard Hefin and others
will have a chance To tell the ,nves-
tigating committee what they know
Chairman Flood. although he would
rot admit H. when asked tonight. evil
IDENTIFY had asked for ard received the
approval Of the state department for
house investigation
He left the Capitol late this after
noon following Heiflns demand for
probe. uncertain whether to call for
the investigation He went to call on
Secretary Lansing Tonight he said
he was practically certain there would
be an Investigation.
Won't Name the Men.
Efforts to draw from Foss. Howard
and Hefin more definite information
as to the members they had in mind as
receivers OF German money failed dis
mally. None would discuss the point.
Senatorial expressions on the reve-
lations were:
Overman. of North Carolina. chair
man of the lobby committee;
The revelations should he sitted n
the very bottom. The lobby commit
tec should investigate and should have
the cooperation OF the state depart
ment"
Stone. of Mississippi chairman Of
the foreign relations committee, and
neaee advocate:
Stone Calls II Intolcrahle Insult.
The Rernstorff ca BILE is an insult 10
the American government II is alb.
solutely intolerahle. ANY representa-
tive of foreign government WIN
tried to interfere into the affairs Of
this government I'm such a manner de-
serves to get his passport promptly
- huaHN dhtl- Wdt teie-
grams and other propaganda, but I do
rot know of any effort TO corrupt
members of congress with German
funds"
Reed. Of Missouri. Money was
probably spent in propaganda? 1t is
not fmpossihle that there are men suf-
fciently INSCRIPTIONS In this coun-
try to take money for such purposes.
! would be glad TO learn If any mem
ner OF congress- has actually been
charged with receiving money"
Wadsworth. OF New York: TT was
evident some one was. putting up
money. ] received no less than four
hundred kilograms in one day All
were In the same phrasing and signed
largely by German names. Other SEN
- =.