Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-09
Document Comes From Mr..
Borah-Record to :
Print 1t.
NEW Y0RK'S FINANCIERS
CALLED FOR HEARING
Senator Lodge Is Star Witness.
President Asks Full
Investigation.

Investigation OF how copies Of the
certain persons in New York was be-
gun today by the Senate foreign re-
lations committee, and before II was
fairly under way a copy of the docu-
ment was presented to the Senate by
Senator Borah. republican. OF Idaho.
and ordered printed in the Congress
sional Record 1t was a copy broagat
to the United States by Frazier Hunt OF
the Chicago Tribune, probably one Of
those now on sale in the Scandinavian
countries
Mr.. Hunt landed in New York last
Friday He carried the copy OF the
treaty to Chicago. Mr. Hunt brought
the treaty to Washington and today
turned IT over to Senator Borah.
Coincidental with the opening OF
the investigation President Wilson
cabled Senator Hitchcock he hoped
the investigation would be thoroughly
prosecuted.
Financiers Called.
The investigation opened with the
subpoena of several prominent New
York fnanciers. among them ]. p.
Morgan. II. p. Dawson and Thomas
all VI the GuOT SaH oauA-
ing house; Jacob Schiff and Frank A.
Vanderlip. former president of the
National City Bank. -
Senator Lodge, who made the first
charges that the treaty was in the
hands of New Workers.. was the star
witness at the opening session. He
declined on the ground of his sena-
torial immunity to give the names Of
persons who had the treaty. but said
he would ask permission to disclose
their names.
Senator Borah also made charges SINH
lar to Senator Lodges.
Secretary Folks Testimony. =
Acting Secretary Polk Of the State
ed copies from the American peace
mission in Paris, had them locked In the
State Department vault and believed
none of those copies were the ones re-
ferred to as being in New York.
All If the financiers named except
Mr. vanderlip were called at the sue-
gestion of Senator Borah. republican,
OF Idaho, who told the committee he
was convinced that each OF them was
familiar with what the treaty con.
tanned He said he could not be sure
that any one of them actually had
copy. however, because he never had
seen a copy in their hands.
The Idaho senator said he was con?
WINGED the international bankers OF
New York were interested for pri-
waite reasons" in the adoption Of the
league of nations covenant. He added
that in his belief the calling of the
men named would show how and why
they were interested.
Presence Of these men before the
committee. Senator Borah said. un-
doubtedly would show where copy
of the treaty could be obtained.
Il think there will be no trouble
about getting a copy" said he.
Mr.. Vanderlip's name was added to
the list Of those to be called by SEN
ator Williams, democrat. OF Misais-
suggestion The subpoenas were
drawn on the motion of Senator Hitch
cock, democrat, Of Nebraska, who in
troduSed the resolution authorizing
the investigation.
Senator Cross-Questioned. q
Senator Borah, in a statement to
the committee. said he could not ana
did not intend to give the names OF
his informant that a copy of the
treaty was in the hands Of New York
interests The senator was cross
questioned at length principally by
Mr.. Hitchcock and Senator Pittman;
he did not know from actual facts.
but believed there are "a great many"
copies In New York.
Have you any reason to believe
Lodge" asked Mr.. Hitchcock.
any real information" Mr. Borah re-
piled II don't think any of these
men showed their copy to Senator
His first informant, Mr.. Borah add
ed, was not a New Yorker
Then he had the confidence of
these business mem" suggested Sena-
tor Pittman.
II take it So" Mr.. Borah answered
The senator explained that none Of
the letters received by him regarding
the treaty told of where the copies
were or how they were obtained. but
all, he said, discussed as a fact that
copies were in New York business
circles.
DO you mean to intimate that each
one of these gentlemen named has
copy?" asked Senator Hitchcock.
mo, not at ALL" said Mr.. Borah. Il
do not know from actual facts that
any has. but, unless I am thoroughly
misled 1 believe all of these gentle-
men have copy. Nobody told me
any certain man had copy, but my
communications treated the presence
of the copies as a fact"
Senator Moses Opinion.
Senator Moses, republican. of New
Hampshire, said he hoped the COM
mittee would make no effort to obtain
a copy of the treaty IL the President
did not furnish the Senate with one,
declaring he objected to getting IL
through the kitchen window"
THAT is an individual view" inter-
jected Senator Borah, and certainly
is not my view"
Senator Brandegee, republican, OF
read from the recent
speech by Senator Hitchcock, in which
the Nebraska senator said il Senator
Lodge held copy of the treaty in his
hand, 1t either was a stolen document
or had been obtained by bribery.
The Connecticut senator said he
never had had the audacity to say
that the administration or any of its
agents can be bribed," and added that
when the investigation. had been
started he hoped Senator Hitchcock
would either withdraw his inference
or make good his charge. .-.s-
Senator Lodge then took the stand,
and in brief statement told of hAv-
ing seen a copy of the treaty in the
possession of a friend in New York.
81 have never heard of the treaty
being in the hands of financial inter-
ests." Senator Lodge said. Il was
shown a copy of the treaty by q
friend. / had some talk with him re-
garding certain parts of it,"
The senator said he also saw an
other friend, who offered him a copy
of the text, but he declined, saying