The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-25
He That Charges Senate Conn
mittee is Being Used by
German Agents
HOT TIME IN
COMMITTEE MEETING
New Jersey Senator Leading The
Fight on Attorney General.

General Palmer, at the nrSt DuUlic
hearing in the fight to prevent con-
firmation by the senate of his appoint
ment turned sharply today upon his
accusers and boldly charged that they
were aligned with German interests in
concerted attempt to discredit his
Administrations as alien prperty Gus
todian.
During the year and a half he was
in charge Of the office Mr.. Palmer de-
clared he had been denounced by eve4'y
enemy alien and every friend and at
torney of every enemy alien in this
country and that in Berlin he was
characterized as the official Ameri-
I can pickpocket.''
Every friend of the 10000 aliens
whose property had been seized were
attacking him, he said, because his or
and captured the German industrial
army in the United States. It would be
shown. he told the committee that the
particular charges lodged against him
were not based on the ground that ht
had sold enemy plants at too low
price, but that he had sold them to
Americans who had turned them to
profitable account.
For nearly five hours the senate
judiciary subcommittee, conducting an
open inquiry at the request Of the at
torney general. was In continual snarl
For two hours crowd that was kept
| on edge by the tense feeling breaking
out at intervals witnessed the remark
able spectacle of an attorney general
Of the United States defending his re-
cord and slashing at his enemies before
a senate committee sitting on his fit
ness for place in the cabinet.
The bitter feeling that broke out at
the beginning remained to the end.
the meeting closing abruptly and in
disorder, with the announcement by
Chairman Dillingham; that another
session would be held tomorrow to
determine further procedure and sum-
mon witnesses, asked for by the COM
plainants. There was strong belief
at the capitol tonight that no further
hearings Of consequence would be
held and the committee would recon-
mend confirmation of Mr.. Palmer's
nomination.
The first evidence of bitterness was
displayed at the very oustet when Sen
ator Walsh, Democrat, Of Montana,
charged Merton Lewis. former attor-
ney general of New York, with de-
ceiving the committee last week
through failure to quote all Of the
sections Of the law bearing on the
right Of the alien property custodian
to seize property. Mr.. Lewis
who is counsel for Harvey T. An
drews, the principal complainant,
frankly stated that he had been in
error and that he had come prepared
to offer apologies. Senator Walsh re-
torted that while he accepted the
statement without reservation, Mr.
Lewis should realize that the COM
mittee thereafter could not rely son
any thing he said.
Frequently during the presentation
by Mr.. Lewis of documentary evidence
he clashed with Mr. Palmer and no
effort apparently was made by either
to conceal his feeling of hostility. Dur
ing his long and at times dramatic re.
cital the attorney general spoke with
his voice thrown to hair high pitch,
reached far down the corridors.
1t was near the close of the session
and after the attorney general had
given the committee some account Of
Andrews connection with the Bosch
Magnetic Company plant at Spring
field, Mass, that he came to an open
breach with Senator Frelinghuysen,
Republican of New Jersey, leader In
the fight to prevent confirmation Of
his nomination.
Mr.. Palmer was proceelin&t1 taxi.
up charges as to the alleged placing
of friends in position where they
might profit by the sale of enemy
property and had just stated that
these charges were made by Senator
Frelinghuysen and others when the
senator jumped to his feet. For an
instant he and the attorney general
glared at each other.
You can't bluff me like that" the
senator shouted. Il am senator Of
the United States and l demand that
Mr.. Palmer answer criticism of his
administration brought before the
The attorney general snapped bac&
that he was not trying to bluff any
body However" he added ,"I will
answer and leave Mr.. Frelinghuy-
sens name out Of it"
When Mr.. Palmer concluded his
two hours statement. Senator Ere
told the committee that if
it decided to go into the investigation
Of the alien property custodian's Of
flee. he would present witnesses in
support of charges against his admin
istration. Complaints had come 20
him from some of his constituents he
said.
Mr.. Palmer came back with the as
sertion that Senator Frelinghuysen
had visited New York detective agen-
cies to find out if they did not have
something on Palmer" He ac-