The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-15

SECOND WILLIAMS
INQUIRY PROPOSED
McFadden Offers Resolution
for Investigation Of Many
New Phases.
COMPTROLLER ON STAND
Denies All Charges; Dares
McFadden in Letter to
Press Inquiry.
COMPTROLLER ON STAND

WARRINGTON, July l4.-Jonn A. l'oole'
president Of tho Federal National Bank
Of Washington. to-day supported the tes-
timony Of Frank J. Hogan that deposits
of Emergency Fleet Corporation funds
had been withheld from this bank BY
John SHELTON Williams, Comptroller OF
the Currency. because Mr.. Hogan had
been retained by that bank as d.
rector.
Mr.. Poole added that he had reason
TO believe Mr.. williams had ordered the
withdrawal of 100000 Of Red Cross
money when he found such a deposit
had been made.
Investigation into the official conduct
of MIR. Williams, in connection with
the various war activities with the
financial end of which he has been iden-
tilted, Is called for in a resolution IN
troduced to-day by Representative l.. +.
McFadden (Pa.), a member of the
Banking and Currency Committee.
Williams Challenges McFadden.
In answer to the Introduction Of the
McF'adden resolution in the House Mr..
Williams tonight made public letter
TO Representative McFadden (Pa.).
author of the resolution. reviewing at
length the whole history Of the fight
between them and virtually daring Mr..
McFadden to push his charges
Mr.. McFadden presented the same
charges in the last Congress, but under
the Democratic regime they were never
allowed to get anywhere.
81 now Nrcnew my invitation-and chal-
lenge to you to urge on the investigation
of my personal and official conduct for
which you expressed such acute anxiety
five months ago." Mr.. Williams wrote.
Il observe with pleasure that to-day you
presented in the House a resolution for
such an investigation as you offered
February 15 with some amplifcations,
presumably representing the results OF
Your excavations and Investigations In
the interval. Judging from the reports
of pr sceedings in the present House thus
far there is a readiness to take up
everything In the way of an investiga-
ton Of the present administration that
may be suggested.
Furthermore my nomination for re-
appointment is before the Senate. You
have opportunity to present any evil
dence you may have to prove my I'M
fitness. Permit me to add. at the risk
o. reiteration. that certainly it will he
your duty TO present to the House or
Senate or both every scrap of evidence
against me you may be able TO ma.
However you may feel about such things
I have to hold that the character for
truth and loyalty to duty are above any
imaginable job or position OF adVan'
tage. That character has been wantonly
assailed by you. l now call on you to
press directly and urgently for the in
vestlgation you asked or suggested he
fore the last House. and now after two
months, advertising yourself as desiring
of my official and personal conduct.
am ready for II at any moment by any
competent body
Mr.. Williams sets forth that his name
L. now before the Senate for conf1rma-
ton, that the Committee having his name
before it is In session and that there can
be no distrust of 1t on political grounds
because 1t Ia a Republican committee.
He Invites and defies" Mr.. McFadden to
60 before that Committee with his ac-
cusations. In conclusion, Mr.. Williams
wrote:
81 submit as an unavoidable alterna-
tive that failure by you to present your
charges and evidence to the Senate Com
lnittee that you dlstrust either the Com
mittee or your own case. l might sub
nit further that II you shtrk the show
down to which you are called you will
be In the shameful position Of having
used your position to attempt to injure
another man with widely and carefully
spread attacks on his character which
YOU are ashamed or afraid to support,
and for confirmation of which you have
no evidence you dare offer; but do not
= know whether you are interested in that
aspect of the case.
LAS you have assailed me before the
Congress and the public l shall feel at
liberty to put this letter to you at the
disposal OF the newspapers and to en-
deavor to have 1t published In the Con-
gressional Record"
New Inquiry to BE Distinct.
In a statement accompanying the reso-
luton Mr.. McFadden explained that the
investigation was not intended to inter-
fere or parallel the investigation now
being conducted which is considering
M. Willams's fitness for reappointnent.
The McFadden resolution calls for the
appointment of select House commit
tee of seven members. TO be appointed
by the Speaker. to investigate the Of
hcial conduct OF John Shelton Williams,
Comptroller OF the Currency. in his
capacity AZ such Comptroller. in the re-
lAtionship thereof not only to the func-
tons of said Office as prescribed by law
and regulations issued by the Secretary
of the Treasury and by said Williams.
but also in his official relationships to
the offices Of Secretary of the Treasury.
Secretary Of the Navy, Secretary OF
War. Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
to the Federal Reserve Board. to the
War Finance Corporation. to the Capital
Issues Committee. to the United States
Shipping Board and to the Emergency
Fleet Corporation respectively"
Mr.. McFadden expects to procure
hearings before the rules committee 10
which the measure has been referred for
Recommendation and report.
"Mr. Williams was harsh and
abusive" said Mr.. Poole when giving
evidence. He was kind enough to pay
me a personal compliment and admit
the substan tial character OF the institu-
ton of which was president l offered
the argument that personal feelings with
regard to Mr.. Hogan should not prevent
our bank getting n deposit In the course
of ordinary business, to which II waf
clearly entitled, but he positively re-
fused. and on the sole ground OF Mr.
Hogan's dictatorship. -
Williams Takes stand.
After Mr.. Poole had told in detail OF
the relations between his bank and Mr.
Williams the latter took the stand In
his own defence, He produced a Ions
statemant containing categorical denial
OF the assertions made against him by
the witnesses who have appeared before
the Senate Banking and Currency Com.
mittee TO say that Mr. Williams should
not be reappointed as Comptroller.
T. AAN L.. No. - 49, ...S