The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-10-09
COP. WANTS TO PLAY POLITICS
 WITH PALMER
New Investigation of His Acts AS Alien Property Cus-
 tedian Causes Stir.

Washington, D. C., Oct. 9.-A eer- tain element of the Republican party as represented in the Senate Is still attempting to play politics pr settle personal Grievances with Attorney GeTa ral A. Mitchell Palmer, another invl ,igatien of the office ef the allen property custodian being the pro posed vehicle, As a majority of the Republican Senat atefs-or certainly a sufficient number added to the Demo- erats-opposes this action, 1t is not likely to go through despite the ef- forts of Senators Frelinghuysen of New Jersey and Calder of New York.
 The Republicans objections to the Frelinghuysen-C Calder idea are, first, that the ground already has been covered in the hearings as to MT. Palner's fitness for the office of at- torney-seneralj second, that 1t would probably cost S15g, 900 to s200,000, according to the resolutions pro- visions, and, third, that it might give the country the impression. prevail ent in Washington, that certain Ger man interests whose property was taken by MT, Palmer as alien prop erty custodian, are attempting a per secudon for political purposes, now that the aEnistiee Is signed and the Treaty of Peace about to be ap- proved,
 Immediately upon the introduce ton of the resolution for the tnves- Hgation by Senator Calder objections to the expense began to be made, Senator Jones of New Mexico, Demo- crat and Senator Borah of Idaho, Republican, being among the critics,
 Senator Underwood of Alabama, Democrat, pointed out that the alien property custodian was having his books audited by a firm of bonded accountants, and that the Calder res olution proposed repeating the per- formanee at an additional cost from $l6o.0oo to s2oo.oo0, He suggested an amendment forbiddfng duplication Of work and this was agreed to.
 It will be rentem bered that the Senate Judiciary committee recently investigated at length all the charges brought against MT. Palmer's conduct Of the office of alien property custo- dian by Senator Frelinghuysen and others, and that this committee, Re- publicans and Democrats alike, re- ported unanimously in his favor. Also that when the question of MT. Pal mer's confirmation came before the Senate there was but one dissenting vote. that it is said being Senator Frelinghuysen.
 Notwithstanding this Senator Cald- 1 CT insisted that "rhe expenditure of $1o0,oo0 or S2o0,00o or even more than that would be a splendid invest ent for the Government if we could obtain information that would ei-har demonstrate the truth of these re- peated assertions or show their false hood"
 Senator Walsh of Montana, a mem Der of the judiciary committee, dis turbed the Palmer assaiIants by re- minding them that every charge of colluston tM the disposition of alien property had been investigated, and that the committee had expressed it's | desire to hear everything along that | line, and added:
 Undoubtedly many complaints | have been made to the Senator from | New York, (Nfr. Calder). But by whom? Undoubtedly the German | owners of this property bitterly com | plain as to the acts of the alien prop | erty custodian. But the very serious 1 question is. from what sources do l these complaints come? For aught | the Senate knows at this time every | one of those complaints emanates II SOAIo NTtIIIldI owner WnOS9 | property has been taken over, and. of l course, he feels bitterly about the l matter. Why should it not be re- | ferred to some committee of the Sen ate to ascertain the sources, at least, | from which these complaints come, l to- see whether any American interest l of any kind is complaining of the | administration of the office?"
 ''The committe heard MT. Palmer l upon it; he went into the whole subject. and I may say that the bot tom fell out of the whole thing. | Those who made the charges were in | a pitiable plight before the com | mittee," added Senator Walsh
 During the debate Senator Under | wood read from a statement sent out from Berlin, as follows:
 'HThat the administration of alien property is considered not without