The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-01-09
Accuses High Officials, but
Refuses to Give
Names.
INVESTIGATORS HINT
AT CONTEMPT ACTION
Witness Doesn't "Give a
Damn" What Com
mittee Does.

WASHINGTON, Jan. S.--After a tumul-
tuous session devoted mainly to the ex-
animation of Thomas w. Lawson, the
Boston fnancier. the Rules Committee of
the House found itself to-day as far
afield as ever in its search for the source
of the alleged leak" in connection with
the Presidents peace note.
I The hearing, although barren of re-
suits, was prolific or sensations which
were supplied by Mr.. Lawson. He re-
ferred to certain unnamed members of
Congress in typcally Lawsonan Ian
guage. He told the Rules Committee
that he didn't think much Of its inyesti-
CATION He twisted and turned. evaded
and defied and finally announced bring
ing his fist down on the tbale, that he
would meet innuendo with innuendo and
didn't give a damn what the commit
tee did about it,
As result of all of which the Boston
hnancier and stock market operator. who
said that he was 4 farmer by ocupa-
tion, faced the possibility tonight of be-
ing cited to the Speaker of the House
for contempt in refusing to answer tho
questions put to him.
Representative Chiperfeld. Illinois.
made the motion to cite the recalcitrant
and belligerent witness to the House
when he refused to give Information de-
manded by Representative Campbell.
Kansas. The committee deferred action
on the motion
If Mr.. Lawson does not change his
mind by tomorrow the committee prob
ably will put the question up to the
House. The archaic method of citing
recalcltrant witnesses for contempt,
which requires that they be indicted by
the District of Columbia Supreme Court
makes 1t somewhat uncertain that he
VIII be made to pay any penalty for his
turbulence before the Rules Committee
Can't Budse Lawson.
Practically the entire days session
was given up to the Intellectual efforts OF
the committee to obtain from the Boston
stock operator some specific facts on
which he based his sweeping charges
against Congress. In his testimony he
added the supreme Court. the White
House and the State Department as the
sources of leaks which in the last two
years have been used to affect the stock
market.
u SNbSltlNldte tneSe charges he gave
, no direct information or else referred
somewhat vaguely to documents given
out to newspapers in advance of publica-
ton. The only approach to information
was statement that he had heard that
Senator. Il member of the Cabinet and
a New York banker maintained a joint
account for stock gambling purposes, and
that the New York banker could sum
mon the Cabinet member to New York
any time he wished 1t was in refusing
the name Of the member of Congress-
who, Mr. Lawson said, had told him this
story. that he aroused the resentment OF
the committee and evoked the threat OF
being cited for contempt.
Joseph j. Tumulty, secretary to the
President, was the first witness to take
the stand at to-day's hearing. He read
statement indorSed by the President
saying that he had had no knowledge
whatever of the existence Of the peace
note until formal announcement was
made that 1t had been sent. Mr. Tu-
multy added that he had no informal ion
concerning any leak. and denied that
he had seen or taken luncheon in the
Biltmore Hotel in New York a few days
before the note was made public with
Bernard Baruch. whose name was men
toned in the gossip presented to the
committee as one OF the beneficiaries.
Mr.. Tumulty denounced the action OF
charges based on letter from an un-
Identified man, and declared from the
witness stand. looking Representative
Wood in the face. that he was still
awaiting the Representatives apology.
lansing shows Notes Record.
Secretary Lansing presented to the
committee "A detailed history of the
preparation of the note for transmission
He gave the names of the State Depart
ment officials who knew of its existence
!. the clerks through whose hands it passed
when 1t was coded and those who took
n charge OF the printing of 1t before It was
given to the public He also told the
committee how he had cautioned the
II newspaper men that the publication Of
q the note was forthcoming and that II
Al contained no proposal for peace OF
. mediation. Mr.. Lansing did not make
8 any formal denial OF any connection
h with an alleged leak, merely saying h,
a knew OF the existence of no leak. anC
a. that he had never had anything to dt
10 with stock market operations. His tes
10 tmony was largely of a formal char
\ acter and apparently OF interest to tn,
!. committee only to the extent that he ex
planned the course taken in despatchin;
ID the peace note.
The charges of Thomas w. Lawson
n upon which the resolution introduced b!
a. Representative Wood calling for inquir!
sr was based. all but collapsed. The wit
ness practically admitted that he had n
direct evidence which would be admis
:, sible in 4 court of law All thai h
- knew. he said. was from hearsay. II
i, maintain etOutly that n scrutiny a