Evening star., 1918-02-16

quotation from Mr.. Johnson's remarks
Immediately above:
Mr.. Tinkham. Mr.. Chairman, Will
the gentleman yield?
Mr.. johnson Of Kentucky. Yes.
Mr.. Tinkham. Does the gentleman
know whether the minority report
was written first?
"Mr johnson of Kentucky. I do not
"Mr. Tinkham. Or in what order the
articles were written. the minority
views. the report of the Real Estate
Exchange and the newspaper articles!
"Mr. johnson Of Kentucky. have
written first. Neither have l any
opinion at all as to whether there was
any conference among those who wrote
the different opinions.
On page 2276 in discussing the question
of whether there had been or should be
hearings Mr.. johnson is quoted as saying:
"In answer to the question Just asked
by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Long
worth), l will say that the Real Estate
Brokers Association. through special
committee, and said they did not want
public hearings At the time reporter
from one Of the local newspapers was in
the room, and they even asked him TO
get out while they discussed the matter
with me. They said on both of their visits
to me that they wished to discuss it with
me instead of with the whole committee
Now. / do not know what the reasons
a discussion Of it because those here in
the city who had been extortioned upon
would also come and be heard on the other
side of the question
Quotation from the Record (page
227D:
Mr.. Focht. And SO I hope. MI.
Chairman, that this bill will be recon-
mitted and that these men in the Real
Estate Brokers' Association who desire
to be heard may be given a hearing. l
h
will not object to this proposal, since it
involves no more than justice and fair
play.
Mr.. johnson of Kentucky. Mr..
Chairman, If the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts will permit
mt. Tinkham. Yes.
Mr. Johnson of Kentucky. Speaking
for those from whom eXtorlon has
been demanded and taken. and not for
the real estate owners and profiteers, /
tMr. Focht to recall my statement to
the effect that the committee of the
Real Estate Brokers' Association, of
which his correspondent, Mr.. Fairfax. Is
and told me that they wished to pre-
sent their arguments to me alone, and
not to the committee
''Mr. Focht. OF course, that is in con-
tradiction to the letter. That is up to
somebody else to decide
Mr.. johnson of Kentucky. And hand
ed me the argument in typewriter
form which they wanted to present.
Mr.. Focht. Then they changed their
minds as to the form.
'Mr. johnson of Kentucky. They
changed their minds as to the extent of
the delay sought in the interest of
profiteering."
Page 2es2 of the Record:
''Mr. Tinkham. AS no hearings were
given and only an hour and half
given to the consideration by the com
mittee. it should be referred back to
the committee for reformation. Or
Mr.. Johnson of Kentucky. Will the
gentleman yield just there?
''Mr. Tinkham. / will.
Mr.. Johnson of Kentucky. Would
the gentleman advocate giving burg
lars and thieves a hearing in preparing
laws to stop them from their prac-
tices?
"Mr. Tinkham. Mr.. Chairman. I do
ton, am frank to say. I am going
to let 1t remain in the Record exactly
as it was spoken. without any reply.
MT. Smith of Idaho. Mr.. Chairman,
understand the people interested in
this bill had an opportunity to be heard
and declined to appear before the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Tinkham. That is not SO.
Mr.. Smith Of Idaho. Did not the
chairman so state?
"Mr. johnson of Kentucky / saw most
emphatically that Mr.. Fairfax and the
other gentlemen who came to me with
their written objections to this bill
said that they wanted to come to me
alone with them. and not before the
committee. and they came twice.
Mr.. Focht. All right, Mr.. Chairman
We have just had read into the Record
a letter from Mr. Fairfax. in which
he said they did want hearing.
Mr.. Johnson Of Kentucky. | thor
oughly agree with the gentleman as to
that feature of 1t. They wanted hear
ing today.
MI Focht. They want a hearing, and
this House ought to do them the JUS
tice to let them be heard.
Mr.. johnson of Kentucky. They
want all the hearings that will make
delay, and they do not want any more
hearings"