Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-21
CLASH At HEARING
ON PROPAGANDA
Senator Reeds Questioning
Anglers A. L. Becker, Wit
ness Before Committee.
MAI. HUMES TAKES PART

Cross questioning by Senator Reed
of Missouri. who is not member of
the committee, led to a sharp clash
at today's session of the Senate com
mittee investigating German propa-
ganda, between the Missouri senator
and Alfred l.. Becker, deputy attor-
ney general of New York, and Maj.
+. Lowry Humes, in charge of the in
quiry.
Mr.. Becker refused to answer ques-
tlonS propOunded by Senator Reed as
to the identity of persons employed
| by the attorney general of New York
to get information concerning the
German propaganda system. Sena-
tor Reed demanded that the commit
tee instruct the witness to answer.
Senator Alleges Insolence.
Mr.. Becker asked the senator if he
desired to have information on "mat-
ters relating to his client, Mr.. Hearst"
whereupon Senator Reed told the COM
mittee that Mr.. BeckerS reply had
been framed in an inSolent manner
and denied that he was appearing for
Mr. Hearst.
You don't mean to say that Mr.
Hearst is my client?" asked Senator
Reed.
Il beg your PARDON" said Mr..
Becker.
You needn't beg my pardon" Sena-
tor Reed retorted. Your answer was
what your testimony has been all the
way through this case and it does not
reflect on your veracity. 1 am here
in the interest of trying to develop
some truth through maze of teSti-
mony that has been distorted"
Mr.. Becker based his refusal to
answer the question on the ground
that it was secret service work and
secrecy was essential to it's success.
He said that he had known that 1.-The
Hearst forces had been trying for six
months to find out the names of the
men making the investigation, and
they haven't found out yet, which
shows we have a pretty good secret
service.
Mai. HumeS Excites Senator's Ire.
Maj. E. Lowry Humes who has been
conducting the investigation. object
ed to Senator Reeds questioning, and
Senator Reed asked him who he rep
resented. Maj. HumeS replied that he
represented the committee and had
been detailed by the War Department
to conduct the investigation, and was
under orders from the committee.
"1f you do represent the committee, -
said Senator Reed, 'T want to know
what kind of representation it is that
you give when you refuse to give up
the names of people who got this tes-
timony."
II will not dignity that question
with an answer replied Maj. Humes.
Another Flare-Up Occurs.
Another flare-up occurred when SEN
ator Reed asked Mr.. Becker if it were
not true that he, acting under spe-
cial New York state war statute grant
ing authority to make Investigations re-
lating to the public peace and safety,
did not obtain information which he used
for political purposes
MIR. Becker interrupted the senator in
his long question with the comment:
Il hope the Hearst reporter is getting
this"
\ moment later he apologized to the
committee for the remark
Senator Reed tried to make Mr.
Becker state the expense incurred In
obtaining the affidavits and deposi-
tionS. Mr. Becker said he could not
remember the aggregate. but explain
ed that nothing was paid the wit
nesses or deponents except to cover
their loss of time taken in making the
davits were taken in good faith" and
! along with many others about Mr..
Hearst which l have not made
public"
The committee reserved its ruling
on whether Mr.. Becker should be COM
PEELED to make public names of the
state Investigators
Later when Mr.. Becker smoke of
Senator Reed holding BRIEF from
Mr. Hearst the senator, addressing the
committee. asked that such references
be stopped.
I will take my own way of doing it,
the senator said.
Becker Again Apologies.
Chairman overman said he believed
the reply to be improper, and Mr..
Becker again apologized.
Senator Reed asked Mr. Becker
further about a statement given ont
jointly by Attorney General Lewis
and Mr. Becker dealing with a dinner
given in honor of William Randolnh
Hearst by Bolo Pasha. Mr.. Becker
said that Mr.. Hearst's Indignation AT
that statement was the beginning OF a
suspicion in his mind that there might
be connection between Mr.. Hearst
That statement coupled with the
fact that Hearst lied when he said
that he had met Bolo only once. when
the statement OF mis- own employe
showed that he met him at least three .
times. Right then was born in my mind
the impression that there might be
something wrong
Senator Reed asked the witness II
he stood by his statement that MIR.
Hearst lied about the BoIo incident
Mr. Becker replied that he would
change the reference to a statement
that Mr.. Hearst told something that
was untrue. because. he said, a lie
implies an intent to tell what was not