Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-20
BREWERY ACTIVITY
AND PROPAGANDA IS
ORDERED PROBED
Senate Orders Investigation of
Washington Paper Purchase
Campaign Contributions and
Other Alleged Activities

Other Alleged Activities
WASHINGTON. Sept 1s.-Investiga-
ton Of political and propaganda activi-
tics OF the brewing interests was ordered
today by the senate. 1t viii be directed
particularly at charges that. the brew
e-s have bought Washington newspa-
PEI. contributed unprecedented sums to
campaign funds. influenced newspapers
through advertising contracts, paid
money TO citizens and even government
officials and. obtained pledges from
members OF congress
Covers wide Range
Senator Jones, OF New Mexico, intro
duced a resolution authorizing an inquI-
~ BY the judiciary committee, and it
vas adopted by the senate with little
discussion Charges recited in the pre-
anbIs cover a wide range and are based
upon evidence understood TO be in the
possession OF the department of justice
or it's agents
The action follows the publication
here yesterday and today Of statements
BY Arthur Brisbane, editor and owner
OF the Washington Times, disclosing
that TO buy the Times Mr.. Brisbane was
furnished $4,000 as a loan by c. w.
Feigenspan. a brewer, president of the
Newark n. J., Federal Trust company
acting for a group OF brewers. Mr..
Brisbane-s statements were in answer
TO editorial discussion of an assertion
bv 4 Mitchell Palmer. federal alien
property custodian. that the brewing in
terests had bought a newspaper under
the shadow OF the capitol.
Charges in the resolution include al
LEGATIONS that in order to control state
and federal legislation the brewers
have exacted pledges from candidates
~including congressman and United
States senator's such pledges being
on file, that to influence public opin-
ion the brewing iDterests. have subs:-
died the press
1t is alleged that the brewers were
allied to sub-organizations, among them
being the German-American alliance
and the National Association Of COM
nerce and Labor and the Manufactur-
ers and Dealers association and that
the brewing associations and brewing
interests have qualifications in other or
-aniZations-
Arthur Brisbane, publisher OF the
Washington Times, announced in a pub
.fshed statement that he had bought
the Washington Times with money Dor.
roved through New Jersey brewer.
A. Mitchell Palmer. federal cusio-
dian Of alien property. addressing
the Pennsylvania state Democratic
committee at Harrisburg, Pa. last
Saturday. declared that he had gath
cred proof that German brewers in
the United States, in association With
the United States Brewers associa' lon
furnished several hundred thousand dol
lars to buy a newspaper in one OF the
chief cities Of the nation. which Mr. Pal
mer declared was fighting the battle OF
the liquor traffic under the shadow OF
the dome of the capitol"
The Washington Times, bought from
Frank A Munsey a little more than
wear ago BY Arthur Brisbane. is the only
newspaper under the shadow Of the
dome OF the capitol" which has recent
IL changed hands. so far as is known
Borrowed Through Brewers
Yesterday the Washington Herald
published by c. 7. Brainerd- called upon
Mr.. Palmer editorizIly to give the name
Of the paper 10 which he referred
Today in the Times, Mr.. Brisbane pub
I.sned an editorial statement that, 10
buy the Times he borrowed sS45,OOO
through a loan arranged for him by C.
". Feixenspan, a brewer, and president
of the Federal Trust company, of New
ark. -. J., and the further statement that
he stan owes Mr.. Munsey s250.oo0.
Mr.. Brisbane's editorial follows:
&C. T. Brainard. managers Harper and
Brothers for J. PierpOnt Morgan the
owner.
lie manages and edits the Washing
ton Herald with brilliancy and sue
cess. punctuated during the past year
and a half by unsuccessful efforts to
sell the paper to me.
mfr. Brainard's Washington Herald
expresses interest in the ownership OF
tire Washington Times and wants TO
know If IL is owned by the brewers
sNr Brainard viii not resent the
statement that this question coming from
him would ordinarily deserve little at
tention. But his questions may inter
est others. Here are the facts:
The Washington Times is one hun
dred per cent my property.
1T was purchased from Frank a
NTunsey. for 100000. Of which sum
as has been previously stated in this
sotumu-S250. 900 is still due Mr. Nun
sew. And he holds in his possession
the. entire stock Of the Washingto:'
Tin.es as security for the payment OF
the balance Of purchase money due him
ITO buy the Times and put LOSING
property on paying basis, / required
approximately half a million dollars.
s.Mr c ". Feigenspan, president OF
the Federal Trust company. of Newark.
y. J., is a friend Of mine and a brewer.
As every Newspaper editor in the coun-
try knows, ] have for more than TWEEN
" years advocated as a temperance
measure the suppression of the whisky
traffic and the encouragement OF the
light wine and light beer.
at my request Mr. Feigenspau agreed
that he would arrange for ue a loan
OF s50o,0o0. II turned out that / re-
aufred a less amount, as s575,000 was
sufficient for the expense involved in
putting the Washington Times on pay
ing basis
This amount I borrowed from Mr..
Faixenspzn between June 1917. and No