Evening star., 1918-06-24

The Senate District committee today
called upon the Senate to adopt a rcso-
luton excusing the Senate conferees
on the Johnson Pomerene rent profit
eering bill from further service, "until
otherwise ordered by the Senate" The
secretary of the Senate is directed in
the resolution to transmit a copy Of II
to the House
This was the answer of the Senate
District committee to the attack which
Representative Ben johnson of Ken
lucky has made upon the Senate con
ferees on the Pomerene bill
In plain English, 1t is intended 10
say to the House that as long as
Representative Johnson is permitted
corruption, which, senators alleEe, he
has made. against members Of the.
Senate in connection with the rent
profteering bill, Mr. Johnson win not
be acceptable to the Senate as con-
feree on this measure, and IL will not
ask senators to meet him in confer
ence.
Put Up To House.
The Senate adopted the resolution
by a unanimous vote. What course
shall be adopted in the future with
regard, to the whole matter now rests
with the House.
The resolution set forth in detail
the remarks made by Mr.. johnson on
the floor of the House in regard to the
senators in the rent-profiteering bill
and also the two letters which he
wrote to the conferees.
Assumes Honesty of Purpose
Il am not in the habit of taking
sentatives disagree with me, said
Senator Pomerene. "I assume honesty
Of purpose by others and accord the
same to them"
Senator Pomerene said the Senate
conferees have been anxious to reach
an agreement upon the bill. He read
several extracts from Chairman John
sons first speech in the House.
Senators will discover. upon read
ing the whole speech continued Sem
nuendo after another. insinuating. II
not charging, that there was corrup-
ton on the part of the senator's"
Senator Pomerene defended the SEN
ate bill and said it did not follow the
lines suggested by the real estate
agents. The House bill. he declared.
was deemed to be unavoidable. while
the Senate bill was modelled after
British and Australian legislation.
Senator Pomerene said the main is
sue for the moment was, Shall the
Senate pass by unheeded statements
which have been made rejecting on
the integrity of senator's, and can IL
be hoped that a full and free confer
conferees named by the House has
seen fit to write such letter?
Declared unprecedented.
Senator Gallinger asked il the SEN
ator ever knew of a case where men,
bers of one conference committee ad-
dressed interrogations to the other
conferees in advance Of a meeting.
Senator PomereneN said he never heard
of such thing in his years Of service
in the Senate, and asked Senator Gal
linger, the senior of all senators in
service, if he had ever heard of an
instance.
said Senator Gallinger. And I hope
l may never hear of it again."
Senator Borah wanted to know what
becomes of the profteering bill. and
suggested that legislation might fail
If the conferees are excused.
Senator Pomerene said he did not
apprehend failure of the legislation.
Il do not believe we Will fail to
reach an agreement when we meet
with gentlemen" said Senator Pomer-
enc. He added, significantly, that he
did not believe the House will allow
the incident to pass unnoticed, such
was his confidence in and respect for
the House. He said that IL a member
Of either house thinks another is
guilty of corruption he has a right to
call for an investigation. And NO
gentleman" he said, will make any
such insinuations unless he has evil
dence to support the charge"
"obstacle to Free Conference"
''The Senate, 1 am sure, does not ex-
pect its conferees." said Senator Pom
creme. "tossecure a full and free CON
ference when one of the other con-
ferees SO far forgets all the amenities
that exist between gentlemen. Man
ayers on the part of the Senate do not
feel We can have a full and free con-
ference with some one sitting on the
other side of the table who pretends
to believe there has been corruption.
Senator Lenroot suggested II nigh.
be better to discharge the conferees
ees. Senator Sherman pointed out
that in that case conferees would
have to be appointed who had op-
posed the bill and that a very embar-
RAISING situation would be presented
Senator Lenroot did not press the
point.
The resolution was then adopted BY
unanimous vote. 1t is evidently the
idea of senators that the House will
take up the case and take some ac-
ton in its judgment to relieve the