Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-06-03
PALMER'S CAMPAIGN
METHODS ATTACKED
Charged With Letting Down
Pennsylvania Liquor Bars
During the Presidential
Primaries

between Attorney General Palmer and
Eugene c. Bonniwel OF Philadelphia.
Bristling with direct charges of the mis-
use of federal power to let down the
liquor bars during the Pennsylvania pres
idential primaries on the one hand and
of attempted character assassination" on
the other marked Senate investigation
to- day of pre-comven.ion campaign ex
penditures.
The attorney general appeared uneX-
pectedly in the committee room during
the luncheon recess after Mr.. Borniwell
had launched a broadside Of charges in
cluding sweeping assertion that the
whole Palmer campaign in Pennsylvania
had been a "ghastly and debasing de-
gradation of law" Mr. Bonniwell was
| recalled to the stand TO finish his tes-
timony and Mr. Palmer. the first candi-
date for a presidential nomination to
appear at the inquiry. took a seat across
the table from the witness, who. it was
brought out, was "A political enemy of
| long standing.
! News of the impending verbal clash
before the committee spread repidly and
| the hearing room soon was crowded
| When Mr.. Bonniwell had employed Char
! acter assassination" methods against him
| in Pennsylvania for years and conclud-
| ing it with the assertion that in Pennsyl.
vania Judge Bonniwell's word is NOT
! evidence Of fact"
Echoes of the combat had ha rdiy died
away before a new element was injected
! into the committees deliberations with
the fiat refusal of Senator Edge. Repub,i.
| can. Now Jersey, to attend further ses-
| sions. In announcing that he had notified
| the char1ncn of the full committee and
the subcommittee of his decision. the
senators said he believed approximately
| hgures on all convention expenditures
had been obtained and that further in
! quiry would result only in the airing OF
charges. counter charges. intimations
and insinuations.' He added that nc
federal law had been broken as there
| was no federal presidential primary law
to break.
| Before Mr.. Palmer appeared in the
committee room the committee had in.
uuired into the activities of the Plumb
plan league, made further efforts to rur
down a presidential campaign for w. G
McAdoo and had heard two officials OF
oil companies who had been mentioned In
previous testimony AZ possible large con
| trihutors to protect campaigns.
Edward KeatinC. manager of the Plumt
| plan league declared the league hac
| taken no pHTI IN any Nre-COnNentlpr
political activity had not contributed an,
money and did not plan to participate
in the convention struggles He added
however that it did seek to defeat mem
bers of Congress who voted for th'
transportation act.
Mrs. Antoinette Funk of Illinois. active
in Liberty Bond loan drives later for the
Democratic national committee, declared
positively that no campaign for obtain
ing the Democratic presidential nomina
ton for McAdoo. direct or indirect, exist
ed. much to her regret"
II. +. Sinclair. New York, of the oi
company bearing his name. declared he
had made no campaign contributions ol
been otherwise active politically and Nor
man Bridges. connected with the Dohcn,
oil interests testified that he. had contrib
, uted 81 OM to General Woods candidacy
, but otherwise knew nothing of any cam
paign
; After the oil company officials had beer
! excused, the committee came TO Mr.. Bon
, niwell The Pennsylvania man who wa!
candidate for Democratic national com
mittceman from that state at the recen
primaries ard opposed the Palmer move
, ment with a "stckcr' campaigning 70
! McAdoo delegates, was called In connec
tion with the McAdoo activity. He testi
, campaign over the direct personal refms
, al Of Mr.. McAdoo TO have his name used
: which prevented .ts appearance on tn
ballots and nccessitated stichers.
Ia describing he interview with Nr
NcAdoo. the witness first touched on hi
charges about the Palmer Pennsylvania
campaign. and thereafter they fell thtc'
and fast. He asserted that it was gen
cral knowledge" in :he state that wh"'
: the Palmer movement was threatened
the bars had been let down sudden
ly: that liquor warehouse doors wer
, thrown "wdc open undor the eyes p
, department of justice and prohbitiQ
! enforcement officers of the federal gov
crnment, particularly in the " coal coun
ties" and that the Whole Palmer cam
paiGn not only was a "Chastly and de
basing degradation of law but an lin
, vitation" 10 law violators.
, Some direct references to Mr.. Falme
by the witness were stricken out by tn
: committee as personalities.
: When the hearing resumed this after
noon Mr. Ronniwcll resumed the stant
r senator Pomerene Democrat. Ohio, wen
directly to cross examination of Mr. Bon
niwell after Mr.. Palmer, when offere
a chance to question the witness, sal
he had come merely 10 make a state
ment to the committee. The senator re
pcatedly demanded il Bonniwcll had per
Sonal knowledge that federal officers /
PENNSYLVANIA were "conniving' at viola
] tion of prohibition laws \ statemcu
that the witness was satisfied that sue
. was the case was put aside and Senate
. | Pomerene insisted repeated his Questio
until the witness finally answered;
= "No sir" He added that If the commil
y tee would give him two weeks time h
: would furnish legal evidence,
y Mr.. Palmer then rose. His charge tina
, Bonnwell had employed ''characte
, | assassination" efforts against him
= Pennsylvania for years, brought war;
q ing from Senator Reed, Democrat, Mis-
. . souri,, against personalities" but til
question was set at rest when Mr. Paine
was permitted to continue his state
y ment under affirmation.
:. The speaker denied haty and wthou
! qualification what he characterized a
Il these stale" charges that he had granite
I "immunity" to prohibition vlolators
r Pennsylvania. lie declared that on tn
= contrary arrests had been mad" and tn
cases prosecuted during the election pei
Q iod and asserted also that he lacked powo
a TO grant such immunity had he so dc
! sired.
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