Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-10
HEARING ON PEACE
NOTE LEAK LIKELY
TO Be ABANDONED
Committee Frankly Weary
Over Proceedings of
Past Few Days.
CONVINCED THAT LAWSON
CAN'T SUPPORT CHARGES
Financier Continues Defiant, De-
spite Four Motions to Cite
Him for Contempt.
MAKES CONDITIONAL PROMISE
Will Reveal Names Of "Higher-Up"
Stock Gamblers il House Or.
ders Formal Inquiry
CONVINCED THAT LAWSON
CAN'T SUPPORT CHARGES
MAKES CONDITIONAL PROMISE
tRy Associated Press,

s.,
WASHINGTON. January o-Althourh
Ihomas w. Lawson promised to-day 10
disclose names and amounts" involy.
ing men high in official life if Con-
gress ordered an inquiry into the al
legged leak in advance Of President
Wilson'S peace note, there were indi-
cations tonight that the House Rules
Committee was about to drop It's hear
inSs on the Wood resolution for such
an investigation and return the reso.
luton to the House with an adverse
report.
Democratic members OF the commits
tee freely expressed their wcariness
over the proceedings of the past few
days and their conviction not only
that nothing to warrant further in
auiry had been brought out SO far. but
that Mr.. Lawson knew nothing to sun.
port his sweeping charges.
Mr. Lawson continued to-day to defy
the committee, refusing over and over
again TO give the names of the men
he said lie had been told protited bv
the leak" after suggesting that he
could name an official higher up than
any one yet mentioned Four motion.
TO cite him before the bar of the House
for contempt. pending when he left the
witness stand early in the day, were
considered by the committee in execu
tive session. No decision was reached
but some OF the members Indicated
later that Mr.. Lawson probably wuuld
not be recalled, and that IL il was de-
termined to report the Wood resolution
unfavorably. the contempt charges
would be forgotten
In the meantime, the fnancicr re-
mains in Washington. subject to the
committees orders. s
The hearing will continue through-N
out to- o-morrow, at least, TO give sew.
eral OF the men mentioned in the va
rious reports aud rumors related be.
fore the committee opportunity to
make statements.
During to-day's examination Mr.
Lawson frankly admitted that he was
not particularly concerned with the
so-callcd leak itself but tha, his
purpose in agitating the subject pri-
mari'y was TO bring about thorough
investigation OF the New York Stock
Exchange that would lead to incor-
poration and Federal regulation.
Bernard Baruch. of New York, who
contributed $4,000 to the last Demo-,
has been mentioned in the stories of
money made through leak" took
the stand this afternoon. and deniod
that he had any advance informatio
Whatsoever on the Presidents peace
note. tho German peace PROPOSALS or
Lloyd Georges speech Admitting that
he sold short many thousands Of shares
OF United States Steel during tho pe-
riod-from December - to December
2l--hc said his action was due so1eJv
10 his belief that this was the propcr
attitude to take on the market. In
view Of the general opinion that tha
way had been opened for negotiations
FOR peace.
His first knowledge OF the Pres
idcnts note came TO him. Mr.. Baruch
SAID, III the newspapers OF December
IL lie denied absolutely the story
that he conferred with Secretary Tu-
multy. and said he had no knowledge
OF ~. Curtis" whose signature was
aHNed TO tho letter on which Repre-
sentative Wood based most Of his an.
s"rtions before the committee
Departing from the direct line Of
the investigation, Chairman Henry
asked: suppose Congress could pass
a law requiring all these stock cy-
changes to he Incorporated and re-
curing that all transactions be made
Il matter of public record, would not
that have a good cffcct;"'
do not think So" the witness re-
pii'd' "As It is to-day. every transact
ton is recorded, and must be- do
not see what could be gained"
Charles II. Sabin president OF the
Guaranty Trust Company of New York.
who was brought here OH subpoena
at the suggestion Of Mr.. Lawson just
as 10 WAS about to leave for Europe on
his honeymoon. reached the witness
stand today shortly after his boat had
sailed from New York.
Sahin frankly corroborated n story
told by Lawson Ia the effect that in
October he called representatives OF
New York newspapers TO his Office and
told them that he had reason to be-
licNe that the German government WAS
about 20 ask President Wilson TO suG-
gcst peace to the allies This informa-
ton. he said. came to him through
sources not connected with the United
states government. and he gave 1T out
because he felt that the country WAS
entitled TO know it because of the ef-
feet such a move would have on the
affairs OF the nation. lie denied that
he was impelled In any way 10 make
the move by stock market holdings
declaring he never had sold a share of
stock short in his life. and was not
III the market on the day the leak" is
supposed to have occurred.
Otto Kahn, OF Kuhn, Loeb & Co. who
was called at the suggestion OF Rep.
rcscntatiro wood, read into the record
statement denying that he was in any
way connected with Il "lcak' or chat