Evening journal., 1919-06-21
PALMER ALLEGES
PLOT BY ACCUSERS
Declares They Are Aligned
With German interests In
Attack on Him
IN CLASH WITH
ONE SENATOR

WASHINGTON. June 2i-Attorney
General Palmer, at the FIRST public
hearing In the fight 10 prevent sou-
nrmatlon by the senate Of his appoint
ment, turned sharply yesterday upon
BIS accusers and boldly charged That
they were aligned with German inter-
esls IN a concerted attempt 10 dlscrcdit
his administration as allen property
custodian.
During the year and half he was
In charge OF the 0fllce Mr. Palmer Do
clared he had been denounced by every
enemy alien and every friend and at
torney OF every enemy alien I'm his
country. and that in Berlin he was
characterized as the Official American
pickpockct.' Every friend Of the a.
100 aliens whose property had 1een
seized were attacking him, he said, be-
cause his organization had seized
enemy property and captured the icy
man industrial army IN The lnii ID
states. 10 would be shown, he told
the committee, that The particular
charges lodged against him were not
based on the ground that he had sold
enemy plants at too low price, nut
that he had sold them 90 Americans
who had turned them TO profitable ac-
count
The bitter feeling that broke at the
beginning remained 90 the end. the
meeting closing abruptly and In dis
order There was a strong belief at
The capitol yesterday that no further
hearings OF conseqtence would be
held, and that the committee would
recommend confirmation OF Mr. Pal
mcr's nomination.
During his long and az times dra-
matte recital the. attorcy general stood
with ha.r dishevcled. while his voice,
thrown 10 high pitch, reached far
down the corridors.
10 was near the close OF the session
that the attorney general came 90 an
open breach with senator frelinghuy-
sen. loader In The nght 10 prevent con-
flrmaiion OF his nomnation.s . Mr. Pal
mer was proceeding to take up
charges as 90 the alleged placing OF
friends In positions where they might
profit by the sale OF enemy property
and had Just stated that these charges
were made by senator Frellnghuysen
and others when the senator jumped
10 his feet For an instant ne and the
attorney general glared at each other.
You can't blum me like that The
senator shouted. Il am a senator Of
tho United States and ! demand that
| Mr.. Palmer answer criticisms OF his
administration brought before the COM
mlltee In a proper way
/ The attorney general snapped bach
THAT he "Nas not trying 60 blum any
body"
However" he added II viii an
swer and leave Mr. Frelinghuyen'
name out Of a."
When Mr.. Palmer concluded his two
hour statement. senator Frelinghuyse
told the committee that 10 10 decided {
= 90 into the Investigation OF the ale
property custOdians office he woul
present Witnesses IN support or charge
lagainst his administration Complaint
lhad come 30 him from some OF his con
stiluents. he said
Mr.. p5lmcr came back with the as
sertlon that Senator Frelinghuysen ha'
visited New York detective agencies e
find ont II "they did not have something
on Palmer"
/ There was some reference 20 Mr.
/ Palmer's administration in The House
today during the consideration Of the
sundry civic bin Chairman Good. OF
7 the appropriation committee. declared
That while he had made no investiga-
itlon. he had heard in some instances
Of eXOrbitant fees being paid in con
nection with the sale OF enemy alien
property.