The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-09-26
WANTS INQUIRY
INTO GIFTS To
THE PRESIDENT
Resolution introduced to Clear
'RumOrs"
$5OO,OOO WORTH OF GIFTS
Congressman Rodenberg Says He Is
10th to Believe Such Violation
of Constitution

washington, sept. Z0.-IlepIeSeu-
tative Rodenberg of Illinois introduc-
ed a resolution in the House today
authorizing the Judiciary Committee
to conduct an inquiry to ascertain
whether President Wilson accepted
the great number of presents he is re-
ported to have brought back with him
from Europe as gifts from foreign Gov
ernments and kings.
Mr.. Rodenberg's resolution follows:
Whereas, during the month of Feb
ruary 1919, the American people
were informed by cablegrams from
Paris that prior to his departure from
the Murat Palace in that city the Pres
ident of the United States had re-
ceiyed and accepted gifts from vari-
Gus European kings, princes, foreign
States and municipalities, and from
other sources, public and private, and
Whereas, on April 18, 1919, The
Washington Times, one of the leading
newspapers OF this capital. published
the following account of the receipt
and deposit of such gifts of presents
In the White House Presidents s
gifts here from Europe--a carload of
European gifts to President and Mrs
Wilson has been received at the
White House. The shipment is in
about forty large boxes, and will not
be unpacked until the Wilson's re-
turn; and,
Whereas, it is the grave Constitu-
tional duty of the House of Represen-
tatives to ascertain whether any or
all of such gifts or presents were re-
ceived and accepted by the President
OF the United States in violation of
the legislation and laws; therefore.
BE it resolved by the House Of
Representatives that the judiciary
Committee are hereby instructed to
investigate such reports and that they
have power to send for persons and
papers, and to administer the Gus
tomary oaths 10 witnesses to the end
that the truth or falsity of such re-
ports may be fully ascertained. In
the discharge of that duty said Judic.
iary Committee are instructed.
(D To obtain complete inven-
tory of all such gifts or presents, if
such have been in fact received and
accepted as alleged;
(2) To ascertain the source from
which each gift or present was so
received and the value thereof:
90 To ascertain what Custom
House, or Custom Houses, said gifts
or presents were entered, what value
Of appraisement was put upon each,
and what customs duties, if any, were
paid upon the same
(D To ascertain whether or not
a III DpnciIanf 1,o. L.,
ed any other gifts from foreign sourc-
es during his term of office.
Said Judiciary Committee is further
instructed to report all of such facts
to the House of Representative to the
end that the House, in view of the
facts and the law, may be able to.
determine what further action it may
be its Constitutional duty to take in
the premises,
Il have introduced this resolution
for the purpose of clearing up the ru-
mors that have been current for
months that the President and the
members of his family were made the
recipients of gifts while in Europe.
aggregating in value more than a half
million dollars" said Mr.. Rodenberg.
If there should be no foundation for
these rumors a great injustice is be-
ing done to the reputation of the
President and he is entitled to an ex-
oneration.
Section of Article l of the Consti-
tuition expressly provides that no per.
son holding office of profit or trust in
the United States shall without the
consent of Congress accept of any
present, emolument office. or title. of
any kind whatever, from any king,
prince or foreign State
Personally | am loath to believe
that any President of the United
States would be guilty of violating of
the plain provision of the Constitu-
tion, but owing to the persistent repe-
tition of these rumors the public is
entitled to be fully advised as to their
truth or falsity. 1t is also of the
greatest Importance that the public
should be informed whether any men,
bers of the Presidents family or par
ty that accompanied him to Paris, has
received valuable gifts that have been
passed through the Custom House of
the United States without appraisal
and without payment of the duty i'm
posed by law.
My resolution is comprehensive
enough to cover every phase of this
matter which, unless disproved as a
result of an investigation, bids fair
to become a national scandal"