Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-10-21

VI Luz Oil IlSJ ollO q
dential letters from the files of the
League to Enforce Peace. of which
William Howard Taft Is president, were
introduced into the record of the Sen
ate committee Investigating cam
paign expenditures here late to-day.
Names of number of prominent New
York bankers were mentioned in the
correspondence.
Dom II. Hunt, attorney for the COM
mittee. who investigated the activities
OF he League, reported that in my es-
timution' officials of the league have
violated the Logan act passed January
30, 1893. which prohibits America n
citizens carrying on negotiations with
foreign governments or other agents
regarding disputes or controversies
without the permission of the United
States. The act carries n penalty upon
conviction of fines OF not moro than
$4,000 and Imprisonment OF from six
months to three years.
The Senate committee sent Hunt TO
New York several days ago to inves-
J.
Enforce Peace.
Hunt conducted an inquiry for five day,
in tho leagues offices there; read all
the correspondence in its files and OK
anned employees aud officers CT the or
nanzation.
His report. n voluminous documen. ON
bracing copies of all letters which he
, thought had a bearing on the campaign
expenditures estiGation was presented
day.
Tho Senate committee met here to-day
to complete its investigation Of the pre-
convention campaign in Missouri and adj
journed to meet again some time after
the election. Before adiourning tele-
grams were dispatched to the chairman
Of the Republican and Democratic ma
tional. senatorial and congressional COM
mittees, directing them to file complete
statements of their receipts expenditures
and pledges at Chicago on Thursday Oc-
tober 2s. The reports will be made public
at that time.
CREATES SENSATION
The report of Mr.. Hunts investigation
of the League to Enforce Peace proved
the sensation Of the day. Dozens of con-
fidential letters between Mr.. Taft. George
w. Wickersham. Theodore Marburg and
others were given.
In his summary. Mr. Hunt says that
Herbert $. Houston testified before the
committee that he had talked with Bour-
geoise. the German chancellor: Lord
Robert Cecil and David Lloyd George in
regard to the United States entering the
League of Nations and that Edward A.
Filene. of Boston. who has been abroad
on a similar mission, is now "in Germany
on mission to get Germany into the
league"
"The correspondence and data which
follow bear out the charge which | am
about to make" Mr.. Hunts report says
that this organization as through Its
officials, by correspondence and confer
ence talked with various officials of for
eign governments about getting this and
other countries into the League of Ma
lions peace treaty, all of which In my es-
timstion. is in violation of the Logan
act"
INTERESTING LETTERS
Mr. Hunt also charged that William H..
Short, secretary Of the League took from
the files certain letters between Mr.. Short
and George w. Wickersham in which
Mr. Short proposed a campaign in the
interest Of Governor Cox and Mr. Wick
ersham agreed in part" Mr. Short
refused to give up the letters. the report
states, on the ground that they were per
sona
A letter from Mr. Wlckersham to Mr..
Short dated July 80. 1920 says:
Thank you, my dear Mr. Short for
Arthur Sweetzers memo. 1t is very
logical and sound. How much better
was Governor Coolidge's speech of accept
ance than that OF Senator Harding"
Other correspondence shows that ex-
President Taft threatened to resign from
the presidency of the league If 1t took
a partisan part in politics and reiterated
his belief that Senator Harding will be
elected and that the one hope of secur-
ing the league with the Lodge reserva-
lions is through the Republican cand-
date"
The Hunt report says that the League
to Enforce Peace spent $500 to finance
letter sent by Samuel Gompers to
$1,000 local unions asking the union mem
bers to bring pressure to bear on sena-
tors to have them vote for the League
Of Nations.
SOME EXPENSE ITEMS
Other items of expenditure include
bills for publication Of advertisements in
"a cities throughout the country. and two
bills. one of $245s3.2J and the other
SIC, 534.22 from the Western Newspaper
Union.
A letter from Theodore Marburg of
Baltimore, to Secretary Short. dated
August II, 1920. says that the most
direct road to ratification (of the treaty.
is the complete defeat OF the political
party which has suffered the conscience
less Senate band to ride its neck"
Another letter from Mr.. Marburg TO
Mr.. Short written at Baltimore on April
%, 1920, discussed an article on the
League of Nations, written by Hamilton
Holt. and added:
81 strongly urge that the article in
question be reprinted In the type and
style of a newspaper clipping-that from
the Times. preferably-and sent to every
delegate to the Democratic and Republi-
can conventions before the meeting OF
the conventions"
The correspondence shows that ex-
President Taft has steadfastly opposed
any participation of the League to En-
force Peace In the present political cam
paign. A letter from Mr.. Taft to Mr..
Short on August 10, 1920. says:
II am opposed even to a series of ques-
lions propounded by the League to En-
force Peace to presidential candidates.
Such questions cannot but take on par
tisan attitude"
carbon copy of an unsigned letter
from Mr.. Shorts files addressed to Mr..
! Taft under date of August IL, said:
Personally, ] find myself much in
clined to act with the Cox forces and am