The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-31
Former Assistant Secretary of
War Gets Magee Telegram
Into Record.
CALLS METHODS UNFAIR
Insists Public Shall Be Judge
of His Direction Of Spruce
Production.

noor OIL COHBTeSS anu reitetheeu Ills
Characterization Of the committees
methods as Outrageous and scandalous"
At the outset of resumption of his
testimony at the Federal Building Mr..
Ryan took issue with Representative w.
w. Magee OF New York and succeeded
in putting into the record the commit
tees kilograms, which he called mis-
representative and unfair. to substan-
tiate his contention that the investiga-
tors have made accusations against him
and his colleagues without sufficient
knowledge OF the aIrplane situation.
Until Mr.. Ryan forced the issue these
kilograms had been kept out of the rec
ord by the two majority members of the
committee, as we'll as a third telegram
which the minority member, Representa-
tive Clarence F. Lea of California, had
sent to Secretary of War Baker in con-
tradlction of the charges that the air.
craft administration had squandered
money In building spruce railroad in
the Northwest. Mr.. Ryan succeeded also
in having the record embody Mr.. LEAFS
telegram
In that telegram Mr.. Lea informed the
Secretary of War that there was mo
as the other members OF the committee
had drawn from the conflicting testi-
mony" they had taken from witnesses
who had no personal knowledge OF the
operations they denounced and evinced
personal animus that largely deprived
their testimony of any probative value"
Much of the criticism had been I'm
spired by lack of information and spite
fulress rather than from an understand
tDc sNft hAf o N4ot Afx
Would Let Public Judge.
Not only did Mr. Ryan offer to pre-
| sent the facts on the floor of Congress,
but he said he was ready to let the
American public judge whether 81 not
the Investigating committee had been
unfair and unwarranted in making it's
accusations. Mr.. Ryan overrode Mr..
| Magee's attempted Interruptions and be-
gan reading the aocusatory telegram
which Mr.. Magee had signed. He quoted
| the sections in which the committee
| members accused him of using his posi-
ton as director of aircraft to further
| the interests of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and ST. Paul Railroad.
II leave that to the record to Judge
what was said." Mr.. Ryan concluded
his reading. After spirited colloquy
he continued addressing Mr.. Magee,
| who objected to the telegram being in
| corporated in the record: 1T seemed
| entirely fitting to you to hand to the
| press copies when you sent the tele-
gram"
Here Mr.. Magee accused Mr. Ryan Of
signing without authority the contract
for bringing spruce out OF the Northwest.
| II do not at all agree with you. That
| is your opinion" Mr.. Ryan answered,
denying that the Milwaukee road would
benefit by either the spruce railroad or
| the carrying of spruce under the con-
tract. He pointed out that the railroads
were under Federal control and the rates
Fixed by the Government
| Mr.. Magee explained that he thought
Mr. Ryan was magnifying the charges
made, and rebuked Mr.. Ryan for calling
the committees actions Outrageous and
scandalous." when you attack the COM
mittee you attack the House of Repre-
sentatlves," said Mr.. Magee.
| "I repeat and reiterate It," Mr.. Ryan
| replied land 1 am ready and willing to
go before the House OF Representatives
and have you put your case before the
House so that they can read my state
| mertS."
| VIII Finish the Issue.
| Mr.. Magee at once withdrew his line
| OF attack in that direction. He renewed
II a moment later over the reading of
nj, telegram into the record. "If you
| can show me any statement which is
not a fact, why that is another propo-
sition.' he said. Now, what want to
! say is this. You have Joined this is
sue@
And am going to finish It," Mr..
Ryan interrupted.
Mr.. Magee then agreed to let the wit
ness read the telegram into the record
but said: when we submit our report
| will answer you on the floor OF the
House, based upon the evidence in this
case. ! don't want you to complain
that you have not been treated fairly"
Meier Steinbrink. counsel for the com.
mittee, inquired II Mr.. Ryan wanted the
whole telegram and charges against hin
in the record. Yes. certainly" re,
sponded Mr.. Ryan. Representative Lea
whose own minority report had been ex
cluded, at once requested that that b,
put In also.
THE committee have denied me tn,
privilege OF my views in the record" Mr.
Lea asserted, "and 1 am going to dis
cuss my views at this time. / JUS
want that in the record"
James f. Frear. chairman of the com
mittee, went into a detailed calculation
of how II happened that Mr.. Lea haC
been refused the right to incorporate hi,
views before. II was perfectly willing,
said Mr.. Frear. but it occurred TO m,
that It added nothing and I consented
to strike II out"
When Mr.. Lea undertook to contra
diet the chairman. Mr.. Magee broke n
and went so far as to brand anythin,
that Mr.. Lea might have to say a.
entirely immaterial." The only issue.
said he, "is between Mr.. Ryan, tn
chairman and myself" Ms. Lea re
fused to be sidetraclxed and renewed hi
demand for right to put his own view
on record.
1--WE will take that up in executive
session." Mr.. Frear said.
When the committee reconvened In
the afternoon the Investigators turned
TO II. u. Bryan, president of the Mil
waukee road. His testimony and
brief examination of State Senator Don
Ian of Montana, an expert engaged Il
, connection with the spruce contract
occupied the remainder OF the day.
Mr.. Byram substantiated all of Mr.
Ryan's testimony to the effect that tn
Milwaukee road was not interested II
the spruce railroad and had not hope,
TO acquire II. Likewise, Mr.. Byran
corroborated Mr.. Ryan's statements tina
the salvage valuation of $4,000 OF tn
S. 00.0 900 road did not mean that tn
, IS, 900 900 property was to be sold 70
that small figure. It represented onl,
the scrapped value, he said.
When the inquisitors asked II tn
Milwaukee had not looked for Just sue
development. the small price of a.