Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-14
QUERIES
FOR LAWSON GRILL
House Rules Committeeman to
Resume LEAK" Investiqa.
ton Tomorrow. !
POWER TO COMPEL REPLIES

The House rules committee, armed
with the broadest authority to compel
witnesses. and particularly Thomas W.
lawson. to answer questions. tomorrow
VIII resume its investigation of rumors
that advance information reached Wall
street on President Wilson'S peace
note
Determined to 60 to the bottom Of
the situation from every angle before
reporting to the House on the Wood
resolution for a sweeping congressional
inquiry into Teak" stories. the COM
mittee has subpoenaed all persons and
papers that IL considers might shed
light on the rumors Besides Mr. Law
son, Bernard Baruch Of New York and
several other New York and Chicago
brokers have been asked to testify to-
morrow.
All Of the kilograms sent from WASH
ington December 20. the day stock mar
ket spectators are reported to have
pronted by advance Information. also
Resolution Gives Full Power.
Interest in the recalling OF Lawson
to the stand overshadowed among
members Of Congress last night all
other Developments in connection with
the reopening OF the hearing. Under
a resolution adopted by the House
yesterday. the committee is empowered
to compel him to answer any questions.
The resolutin was drawn at an execu-
tive session OF the committee. which
endeavored to make IL broad enough
to cover every possible avenue of es-
cape from contempt charges for any
witness. and the House In adopting the
proposal as soon as IL WAS presented
displayed willingness to go ~ far
as possible in strengthening the conn
mittee's hand.
Mr. Lawson will be interrogated from
a set of written questions noW being
prepared. He will be asked in addi-
tion to other things to name the con-
gresham who told him q story about
q cabinet ofhcial. q banker and Q sem
ator being involved in a profit-takiug
conspiracy in connection with the
selves. II the Boston nnaneier fails to
answer the plan 10 to cite him for con-
tempt and give him an opportunity TO
make answer before the bar Of the
House. Then. II he stands by his re-
fusai he will. be turned over to the
sergeant-at- -arma. and the House may
order him held until he decides 20
answer. or It may refer the case to the
courts.
lawson Not 1iksly - Ansvse.
oHscials sx<1k IN. .asntsnps pesses1s
Iinravwfu u h{eSssary. for they do not
61ilSve Lawson will answer the eorn-
mitfee's questions. II the case u
handled solely by the House. however.
and no direct appeal taken to the
courts, many officials think Il doubtful
IL he ever is punished. The authority
Of the present Congress TO punish re-
calcitrant witnesses expires March 4.
proceedings brought against District
Attorney Marshall Of New York several
months ago still are held up and Mar
shall remains unpublished. Should
Lawson be turned over to the District
OF Columbia courts. however. as some
members of Congress advocate. punish.
ment might be easier.
Mr. Baruch will be asked to show hin
books which were not produced when no
appeared before. F. w. Mckinnon. a
Chicago broker. will be asked IL his firm
sent advance notice OF the coming Of the
peace note to one of its branch ofiices.
Members OF the brokerage firm OF Lock-
wood & Co. OF New York will be
questioned generally about leak rumors.
and James r.. Reilly of the Dow. Jones
Company, ticker service, and the Wall
Street Journal. will be recalled for
further particulars regarding a fore
warning on the note. Donald Mcdonald
of Boston will be asked about q conver-
sation he il said to have had with Law
son. and E. r. Sartwell of the Interna-
tional News Service will be asked about
the authorship of a news item sent out
from, Washington before the inquiry
opened. saying that a high official' mighr
be involved.