New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-12
Chief Points in German
Propaganda Hearing at
Capital Not Even Attacked
Becker Again on Stand
Chairman Overman Finally
Asks Senator Reed to Keep
Closer to Subject in Hand

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE de
fence Of William Randolph Hearst be-
fore the Overman propaganda investi-
gation committee came to dramatic eli
max just at the close Of to-ray's session,
when Major E. Lowry Humes, coun-
sci for the committee, moved that the
committee expunge from the record the
entire cross examination of Alfred l..
Becker, Deputy Attorney General Of
New York, by Senator Reed and the af-
hdavlts on which that cross examina-
ton was based.
Major Humes declared that this ma
terlal "only numbered up the record
with a lot of extraneous matters"
me lmpatlence of members OF the
committee with the wide range tn.
nearing took under the guidance of
Senator Reed, who is not a member. of
the committee, but appears by its cour-
tesy, became palmer as the day wore
on. The Baff case, the Becker case and
other cases, which have no possible
bearing on German propaganda. were
gone into in efforts to attack some of
the men who have worked for Mr..
becker Chairman Overman finally
protested, saying:
Can you not shorten this? This is
not trial of this sort of case. We
nave tried half a dozen other cases
mere never saw such an examination
SINCE was born. 1t has nothing to
40 with what we are proposing to in
vestigate."
No Denial Of Evidence
IN tact, the cross-examination, which
may De referred to as the Hearst de-
renee, ended without any denial of anv
OF the evidence that has been presented
pelore the committee and without anv
form OF attack on most of it, The de-
tense has centered entirely in an at
TACK on the atfidavits taken in Nc 7
4ork alleging that Bernstorff and Bolo
facna were callers at the Hearst's
holhe-aft ldavits which Mr.. Becker
himself said did not prove case
against hearst and which Major Humes
moved to have eXpunged from the
record. The defense has assaulted The
Eotlves and character of Mr.. Becker
ana men who worked with him. It
mas attacked the methods used in get
ing them; it has pointed out change
Whlch was made in one of them. and
II has intimated that some Of the
Things alleged in them are improbable
1t has also charged that the theory
,hac tnere was any significance in the
loan made by Bolo to Bertelli Hearst's
Farls correspondent, was ridiculous,
and 1T has suggested that insufficient
Sconsilderatlon was given by the New
york investigators to the relations of
j.. +. Morgan e. Co. with Bolo's friends
in Paris.
The Important Allegations
But the defense has not denied nv
any witness or by any statement Of
fered even, the allegations made n
those afldavits, and it has not at
tackled, explained, rebutted or in fact,
referred to, other testimony which has
been offered before the committee
about Hearst, including:
The fact that Bertelli's own testi
mony disproves Hearst's published
statement that he never saw Bolo but
once.
The evidence Of Hearst's editorial
I policy.
The revelations contained in the
Palm Beach kilograms"
The relations Of William Bavard
Hale, Hearst's Berlin correspondent.
with the German, government.
The relations of Edward Lyell Fox.
whose articles appeared in the Hearst
papers, with the German government.
The production of the anti-Japa-
nese film "Patria."
To-day's session, like the previous
discrimination, went far afield in
ITS efforts to discrcdit Mr.. Becker and
the men who worked with him and re-
suited in similar series of sharp dis
putes between Senator Reed and Mr..
Becker.
Held Back by Gregory
If hronOL+ ont Ill.,