The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-25
WILSON CALLED IN.
Bank Commissioner Before
Allen This Afternoon.
Governor Refuses to Give Con-
tents of Report Today.

Work of the special committee ap-
pointed by Gov. Henry j. Allen to-
investigate the state banking depart
ment under Walter f. Wilson, state
bank commission, was near a head
this afternoon when at / O'Clock Wal
ter E. Wilson, state bank commission
er. was called in the governors office
to confer with the governor and MEM
bers of the committee.
At $40 o'clock this afternoon the
conference was ended. Commissioner
Wilson and the members of the COM
mittee refused to talk. Governor AL
len said the findings of the committee
had been placed on file and would not
be announced until later. He refused
to comment on the case. The public,
therefore, will have TO wait for the
facts
Before entering the governors Of
flee, Wilson stated that he was abso-
lutely in the dark concerning the work
of the committee, its findings and its
recommendations. if any, for i'm
provement in his department.
mo report of the committee has
been handed to me-" said Wilson. MY
work in the department has been abb
solutely on the level and 1 am going
to defend it and fight to the bitter
end.'
ct left Topeka and went to the Chi
cago convention while the committee
was here" said Wilson. ''They had
the entire office at their disposal
The members of the committee. P.
w. Goebel of Kansas City, Kan; F. H.
Foster of Fort Scott and H. w. Grass
All said they knew nothing-for pub
lication.
Bankers thruout Kansas are await
ing the report with eagerness and all
are urging a speedy clearing up of the
entire affair because of the uncertain
ty and apprehension Investigations of
this nature arouse, regardless of
whether there is anything serious in
it or not.
Wilson admits that the quicker the
matter is cleared up the better and he
! is as anxious as any one else to learn
what the committee finds and to ar
range his plans accordingly.
Politics on Tap.
Already, reports have been received
| in banking circles in Topeka that the
appointment of the three men by Gov
ernor Allen has created criticism on
the part of the Kansas State Bankers
association, an organization dominated
| it is said by state bankers. The criti-
cism of the personnel of the investi-
eating committee grows out of the fact
| that all three members of the COM
mittee have served as president of the
Kansas Bankers association, an or
| ganiZation said to be dominated large
| ly by national bankers in Kansas. In
fact. Grass at this time is president
| of the Kansas Bankers association.
! It is pointed out that the result of
the report will affect the state bankers
more vitality than the national bankers
and consequently the state bankers
/ orga nization should have a represen-
| tative on the committee.
Meantime, while the report is hang
ing fire, the box car shortage, re-
sulting in the tie-up of thousands of
| dollars of last years wheat in Kansas
! elevators and the failure of farmers
I to get money for their last years crop
resulting in demands large sums from
Kansas bankers in order to handle
| this years crop is creating no end of
| concern and the demands for a quick
report on the condition in the sta te
banking department in order to give
the bankers an opportunity to trim
their sails is becoming more insistent
| day by day.
| The governors action in appointing
an investigating committee followed
agitation aroused by a Missouri news
| paper after the failure of four state
banks in Kansas