Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-07-25
PALMER MAKES STRONG FIGHT
 IN OWN BEHALF Attorney-General Presents Affi- davit of Accuser, Retract-
 ing Charge. TESTIFIES KENNARD
 ADMITS CHARGES FALSE Former Custodian of Alien Propertv Explains Why Turkish Prop
 erty Not Seized and Off,
 fered for Sale.

Washington, July 24.-A. Mitchell Palmer, before the senate judiciary subcommittee, today renewed his fight for senate confirmation of his nomination as attorney general and again vigorously defended hls admin lstration as alien property custodian.
 Harold Remington, a New York lawyer. appearing before the com mittee in person, declared that as the department of justice must pass on many acts and clalms of the alien property custodian's office, Mir. Pal mer's appointment as attorney gen. eral was highly improper.
 General charges of improper ad- ministration were made by Leslie s. Kennard an Indiana attorney in a statement recently submitted to the committee by Senator New, republi- can of Indiana, and answered today by MT. Palmer who presented an af- fidavit from MT. Kennard repudiat- ing his previous statement.
 MT. Palmer also stated that Mir. kenard, after making his repudating affidavit before officers of the prop erty custodian, had promised to to appear before the committee but could not be locatei today.
 Answering MT. Remington's state ment that the attorney-general must pass on claims of owners and credi tors of enemy property seized by the alien property custodian, MT. Palmer argued that justice of the claims could not be decided by the attorney general, but must be determined by the federal courts in regularly in- stituted legal proceedings.
 Accuser Has Axe to Grind.
 MT. Palmer declared there was inconsistent in his jurisdict- ion of claims of property against the property custodian. Declaring that he had never passed personally on single claim, as such matters were handled by subordinates MT. Palmer added:
 "Besides, these claims must be set tied by legislation of congress after peace is proclaimed. I have no doubt that congress will provide the to prevent men from occupying inconsistent positions"
 Referring to the statement of MT. Kennard, MT. Palmer said he had learned that Horace Sti'lwell of An derson, Ind, an uncle of Kennard, had had Senator New present Remarks statement to the committee in execu- tive session. Kennard was said by the attorney general to be an sincon- suicuous. $2,000 clerk" in the custod- ian's office and not in position to have information bearing on his charges.
 Why Turks Property Ignored.
 One of MT. Remarks charges. MT. Palmer stated. was that he, Palmer, had failed to seize properties of Tur- kish subjects in this country.
 "In the first place." MT. Palmer re- n'ied. "there was not very much Turk ish property in this country Resides, there was a very good diplomatic of barbarcus reprisals upon Americans in Turkey. The nresident approved of my course in that matter"
 Mir. Palmer said he did not know Mr. Kennard but yesterday caused of the custodian's office to make an inuiry recarding his state ment. When called before these of ficials. MT. Palmer said Mr. Kennard admitted that many of his state ments were untrue
 To charge made in the Kennard statement that he had appointed Gin men" as trustees for enc my property. Mr., Palmer said 700 such directors had been appointed and all were bankers merchants and others prominent in business affairs of their communities.