The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-17
LEAK EXISTED,
 COMMITTEE TO
 TELL CONGRESS
Officials Are To Be Exoner- ated in Report, Says New
 York Rumor.


 purpose to send note to the pow CTS Dec. 20 last, it will give its find- ings substantially in this way:
 There was a .leak."
 No official of the government
 was responsible for it.
 No relative or friend of any
 official was responsible.
 No official, nor any one close to
 any official. profited by the ad-
 vance information.
 Large profits were taken in
 various cities of the country. as
 result of the advance informa-
 tion.
 May Advise Closer Guard
 It is possible that the committee may recommend that the privileges of the galleries of Congress- and of the departments of the government be de- n.ed to newspapErmen who have other connections than professional.
 It will be broadly intimated, if no. specifically declared. that the leak came through William w. Price of the Washington Star, who sent two tele- grams 70 Chicago brokers, and J. Fred Essary of the Baltimore Sun, who sent a message to B.. F. Hutton & Co. or New York the morning of Dec. zo' saying the President was about to is- sue a 'peace note."
 The committee is not likely, 1t was said yesterday in this city. to take the position that the Teak" was a very reprehensible thing, No compromise of the government resulted, and while a considerable number of stock mar ket operators took very profitable ad- vantage of the advance information, no great hardship was inflicted on others. Tn most instances the tip was published by the brokers who re- ceivedit. and all their customers could have made use of it,
 No ssInnocent'' Spectators.
 The expectation now is that the committee will be able to agree on one report, instead of dividing along par ] tisan lines. While the report VIII hold closely to the instructions gwen by the House when the inquiry start ed, the first of the year, and no other matters will be discussed, reason ex- ists to believe the comrnitte has come to the conclusion that no such tnlng as an innocent party to speculation is possible. It will be for this reason chiefly that the gravity or the leak. will be minimized as having affected spectators only.
 It is quite certain that out or the inquiry will come a considerable amount of projected legislation. This is not likely at the present session of Congress, which will be within a month of its end when the report Is made. Several of the committeeman. however, will propose bills, as Chair ! man Henry already has his. under taking to do away with short selling as the law now forbids dealing in cot- ton futures.
 Trading in stocks for investment purposes is all right in the commit tees opinion, but speculation has no more inherent right to existence than the Louisiana lottery, for example. As the hearing of the inquiry contin- ued this belief became more and more apparent in the questions put to wit nesses. Toward the last brokers were asked in So many words what real difference they thought there was be- tween speculative trading and play ing lottery.
 Exchange Censures Tipster Employ.
 The governing committee of the Stock Exchange took action yester- ay that scene to be in anticipation of the committee report At special meeting this resolution was adopted:
 .eWhereas,r it appears from the pending investigation by the Commit fee on Rules of the House of Repre- sentatiyes that certain members of NI1nv 1c0 Y1- ployed newspaper representatives for the purpose of obtaining confidential or privileged information; therefore, be. it
 .sResolved, That the direct or indi- rect employment of representatives of the press by member of the New York Stock Exchange, or by his tirrrl. for the purpose of obtaining advance. or confidential information is an act detrimental to the interest or welfare of the exchange"
 When the Pujo committee made it's money trust'' investigation. in 1912. and a committee was appointed by the Exchange for the purpose of de- fense, a Washington correspondent was retained by this committee to keep it advised of developments af- fecting the Exchanges interests.
 Representatives Campbell Foster and Bonnet. who were left behind as a subcommittee to look after trans actions still to be handed in by brok- CTS, went to Washington yesterday.
 Have shown "Leak" Possibilities.
 Sherman l.. Whipple, counsel to the committed will go to the Capital to- day. He would not talk last night about the report butIhe did say:
 At any rate, we have shown what could be done with advance informa- ton, and whether men could make millions or not if they had advance information. It can now be seen whether there is enough value in such advices to make it worth while to bribe government employees. A man wouldn't pay much for tip that would net him $100, but if he could make millions it would be different" Severe Artillery