Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-06-27
MITCRELLPALMER
ANSWERS CRITICS
Tells Senate Committee Sale Of
Alien Property Was
Square.
TURNS ON HIS ACCUSERs
Declares He Is Glad if Yankees Made
Money at Foes Expense-Says
the Law Was Strictly
Observed.

Washington, June 23.-A. Mitchell
Palmer, attorney general Of the United
States, appeared before the senate ju-
dietary subcommittee. He vigorously
defended himself against the accusa-
ton that While he was alien property
custodian he sold the Bosch Magnetic
company. said to be worth $16,O00,OOO,
for ST, 10000.
The allegations against Mr.. Palmer
were made by Morton E. Lewis, former
attorney general of New York state,
on behalf of Harvey T. Andrews, y
large s~tockholder in the Bosch Mag
neto company, when it was seized by
the alien property custodian as a Ger
man concern.
Confirmation of Mr.. Palmer'S nomi-
nation as attorney general is being
held up by the senate pending the out
come of the investigation, but he will
continue to act under a recess appoint
ment until the senate confirms or re-
jects his nomination.
Mr.. Palmer declared he followed the
law in the sale of the Bosch Magnetic
company and he did not approve the
sale until it was passed on by his adj
visory board, consisting of Cleveland
H. Dodge, Otto T. Barnard, Ralph
Stone, George L. Ingraham and Alex
Griswold, Jr. THE attorney general
contended $4,150,OO0 was a reasonable
price at the time the plant was sold
and expressed his qualification, II
some American buyers made money
at the expense of the German owners.
The hearing was punctuated by sew
eral sharp tits between Mr.. Palmer
and Senator Frelinhuysen of New
Jersey, at whose suggestion MI. Pal
mer's nomination was held up.
Senator Frelinghuysen explained to
the committee that he had not brought
formal charges against Mr. Palmer,
but that he only transmitted informa-
ton furnished to him by others.
eyes, snapped Mr.. Palmer. "You
make no charges, but you have gone
to New York and you have gone to see
detectives and you have had them go
to people in the financial district n
ask them if they did not have some
thing on Mitchell Palmer. Your de-
tectives called on unsuccessful bidders.
cts true, you make no charges, but
YOU have banded these charges in the
newspapers. 1t is difficult for me to.
see the difference between that and
actually preferring charges"
Mr.. PaImer's statement was deliv-
cred with considerable heat and Great
ed excitement in the hearing room.
Mr.. Palmer said the sale had the
unanimous approval of his advisory
committee, without which he never ap-
proved a sale, adding to Mr.. Lewis:
''When you accuse me of selling
out my government you accuse Otto
Barnard. Cleveland II. Dodge, Ralph
Stone and the other members CT my
advisory committee, all experts and
outstanding American citizens, of sell
ing out their government. That's
what you do.
"In selling the Bosch plant" said
Mr.. Palmer, II sold it sc as to use
my power to strike a blow at the. Ger
mans. MI. LEWIS says W. OuShe ~
have delayed the sale for a better mar
ket-for a time when industrial con-
ditions would be more settled. ] was
not going to hunt the best market to
put millions in the treasury for a lot
tof Germans to hire lawyers and come
and fight for after the a We did
MOI name the date when they declared
war on US. Why should I wait for the
: best market2 They started the war.
And l advertised this property for sale
while the war was still on. Mr.. Lewis
charges some n made money out OF
this safe. / am glad some Americans
made mone out of this property.
Mr.. Palmer strongly resented the
charge that he favored his friends.