Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-14
Drastic Action Involved.

fluences seemed to affect this time the
other side of the political aisle of the
Senate.
Drastic Action Involved.
The story of the delay in the con-
firmation of Attorney General Palmer
involves the drastic action which he
took as alien, property custodian in
getting hold of German property in
the United States during the war, and
preventing German spies in German
company BRANCHES in this
using the funds of American con-
Germs which they controlled. Some of
these insurance companies sent COM
plete maps and data of industrial
plants which they had insured back
to the headquarters of the German
spy system for apparent use in sa-
botage work and the alien property
custodian dealt severely with these
concerns when empowered to do so
by law.
Accordingly when Mr.. Palmer was
named as Attorney General persons
in New Jersey who had been affected
by the alien property custodian's acts
caused protest to be made. Senator
Frelinghuysen OF New Jersey, who had
voted against the trading with the
enemy act. made the objection in the
Senate. which caused Mr.. Palmer S
nomination to fail in the last session
of Congress. And when republican
Congress was convened In May the
New Jersey senator persuaded his re-
publican colleagues e to hold Old, an in
1t Is the story of that investigation
which is coming to light just as a sub
committee consisting of Senator'S Dill
lingham, Fall and Sterling, republicans.
and Overman and Walsh. democrats.
voted unanimously to recommend the
confirmation Of Mr.. Palmer. The fact
that Senators Dillingham;, Fall and
Sterling decided in favor Of Mr.. Palmer
is clear evidence that the republican
leaders in the Senate found the investi-
gaton to have been mistakenly begun.
And this is why:
Three Secret Meetings.
First. series Of three secret meetings
were held by the subcommittee at which
Senator F'relinghuysen was given an
opportunity to present several commune
cations rejecting upon Mr.. Palmer's
administration OF the Office Of alien
property custodian.
Former Atto@ey General Lewis of
New York appeared at one of these
sessions, making serious charges.
among them that Mr.. Palmer was
without authority to sell any enemy
property and had made himself liable
to millions OF dollars Of damages.
This came as q shock to the commit
tee, which was relieved only when it
discovered that Mr.. Lewis was mistak-
ted that he was mistaken. By the
time the investigation had reached
this stage Mr.. Palmer demanded an
open hearing and the right to appear
The Attorney General has from time
to time attended these hearings. ans
swering all charges as soon as made.
and pointing cut again and again that
instigated by the Germans whose
property had been taken over during
the war.
When press comment from Germany
arrived showing how anxious Ger
many was to see Mr.. Palmer's acts
condemned, the chain Of circumstances
was complete. Publication Of Mr.
custodian had been accompanied by
statement expressing the hope "that
the Senate investigation may lead
to a review Of the entire subject OF
the treatment Of enemy property in
the United States"
Rear Element Of Mystery.
There are many things about the
attacks on Mr.. Palmer which bear the
the most Interesting: During the
secret bearings Senator Dillingham;
laid before the committee a memo
randum Of serious charges. which he
said had been handed to him by
Senator New Of Indiana; who claimed
1t was originally stated to Mr.. Pal
mer that the memorandum was pre-.
pared by an attorney in the ONCE OF
the alien propArty custodian. When
1t finally appeared 1t bore the name
charges Of violations of law by Mr..
Palmer in handling enemy property.
Mr.. Kennard was . clerk in the alien
property custodian's ONCE. When in
terviewed by Mr.. Palmer he denied
memorandum. He said the facts
therein were false. 10 far as he knew.
and that many statemeats were out
side of his knowledge. He made an
afiidavit saying he had not made any
such statements. either orally or in
writing.
Mr.. Palmer communicated this de-
yelopment to the Senate committee.
whereupon Senator DILLINGHAM; insist
ed that Kennard had been presented
to him by Senator New and had told
him he had prepared such a msmo-
On being further questioned, Ken
nard denied this, adding that he had
never seen Senator Dillingham;. IT
then developed that Horace Stillwell
Of Indiana, who had presented the
memorandum to Senator New. Is an
uncle Of Kennard. Mr.. Stillwell then
telegraphed Senator New that he I'M
derstood the document was to be used
| in entire confidence and its author
ship in no way disclosed.
Mystery Il Unsolved.
Nobody has yet solved the mystery
who started the charges against q
prominent of4icial Of the government,
in the hope that they would be con-
fidentially used to start an investiga-
ton and prevent Mr.. Palmer's con-
firmation. But the fact Is the Senate
subcommittee, led by republicans,
Dillingham;. Fall and Sterling. re-
fused to stand by their colleague from
New Jersey. Senator Freylinghuysen.
and refused to take cognisance of
Germany's wish that the acts Of A.
The Senate subcommittee. is now
writing its report showing just how
| it came to look into the charges. SEN
ator Frelinghuysen is represented as
having had no personal animus what
soever against the Attorney General
and as having himself sponsored none
of the charges. but that certain docu-
ments had been given him by constit-
uents in New Jersey which he be-
lieved should be thoroughly investi-
gated to determine whether or not
they contained valid objections.
The test Of whether Senator Fre-
Ilinghuysen had no interest In pushing
the Investigation other than satisfy.