Evening star., 1920-03-16
Senate Committee Will Per-
NIT Advice to Members at
Hearing.
ENDS ITS EXAMINATION
OF VAN SCHAlCK TODAY
Or. Neill and Mrs. Gerry to Appear
Tomorrow-kay Call Dr.
Learned From California.

ybe represented by counsel during the
bechool investigation was submitted
kby seven members of the board OF
seducation at the meeting today OF the
HSenate select committee inquiring into
$aechool matters.
The Senate committee determined
hthat it would not authorize the en-
!. ployment of counsel in the regular
.~eense of the term. If members OF the
$board desire to be advised by counsel,
they will be at liberty to have coun-
easel present but the counsel will not
( be permitted to interfere in any way
with the conduct of the inquiry, the
committee determined.
Senator Sherman. chairman of the
committee, made the following state
ment regarding the decision of the
committee:
'"The board of education of the Dis
trict of Columbia or any member
thereof, any organization or civic
body or any person or persons of the
mittee to be sufficiently interested in
or affected by the matters occurring
in the hearings. may have counsel
present at any public meetings of the
committee, and may in writing re-
quest any member of the committee
material. and the same shall be made
thinks It proper. The committee
however. does not believe it necessary
to permit counsel to question or cross
examine persons giving evidence or
otherwise take part in the hearings"
The committee finished it's examina-
tion of DR.. John Van Schaick. jr.. pres
b ident of the school board. at today's
hearing. Tomorrow it will have be-
fore it DR.. Neill and Mrs. Gerry. men,
bers OF the board of education.
Hay Call DR.. Learned.
Senator Sherman indicated that the
committee would summon DR.. H. B.
Learned, now lecturing on American
history in the Leland Stanford Uni
reIxity in California. This followed
iintrof-Questioning as to what time
DIR. Learned left Washington. and
whether il was about the time tn.
schools. It developed that DR.. Learn
ed left early in January and the reso-
luton Under which the committee is
acting was passed February "a.
The senator also referred again to
the letter written to Commissioners
Brownlow by DIR. Van Schaick, in
which he referred to a conversation
with "our good friend s.
Have you refreshed your memory SO
you can say to what conversation
that referred!" acked the chairman.
NO. sir. 1 do not recall" was the
reply.
Dr. Van Schaick suggested that the
committee call all the judges of the
District Supreme bench, who appoint
the members Of the school board. but
Senator Sherman did not indicate
whether that would be done.
The witness denied that he had COM
municated in any way with former
Gov. Brumbaugh of Pennsylvania rela-
tive to his succeeding Mr.. Thurston as
superintendent of Washington schools
said an effort to place the Pennsyl-
yanfan in charge Of the schools here
would precipitate considerable diff
Guilty.
Request for Counsel.
When the Senate committee met to-
day, Dr. Van Schaick submitted re-
quest on behalf of himself and six other
members Of the board of education that
the committee permit the board men,
bers to be represented by counsel dur
ing the remainder of the investigation
The members of the board joining Dr.
Van Schaick in this request were Dr.
Neill. Mrs Rhodes, DR.. johnson. Dr.
Simon, Mrs. Gerry and Mrs Cook 1t
was explained that these members Of the
board met yesterday in the Office of Con-
rad H. Syme. former corporation coun-
sci. and at that meeting determined to
ask to be represented by counsel dur
ing tho investigations
G.. c. Lancaster. a member of the
Brightwood Citizens Association who
has taken prominent part in the eff
forts to prevent confirmation of Dr. Van
Schaick As a member of the board Of
District Commissioners. objected.
Senator Harrison of Mississippi en-
tered motion that the request be not
granted. His motion was not acted
upon. the committee deciding to de-
termine the matter in executive session
after the hearing.
Senator Harrison asked DR.. Van
Schaick il the members Of the boa rd felt
that they might incriminate themselves
In testifying before the committee
DR.. Van Schaick denied this.
The board members felt that half
truths might get into the record and
they want the full truth in" he said.
Examination Continued.
Senator Harrison then continued
the examination of DR.. Van Schaick.
with reference to the Moens case.
questioning him about the case of
Charlotte Hunter. formerly a teacher
In the colored schools. who Senator
Harrison said, was associated with
Moens. Senator Harrison asked Or.
Van Schaick if he had heard that the
teacher brought Colored children to
he Photographed nude by Moens and
that she had taught p-o-Germa nism
in the schools.
Il never heard of it" replied DR..
Van Schaick.
You never heard that she had
sentences written on the blackboard
by the pupils favorable to Germany
and against the United States" con-
: tinued Senator Harrison.
NO"
You never heard that Moens had
attempted to cause racial trouble be-
tween the colored people and the
whites in this country" asked Sena-
tor Harrison.
DR.. Van Schaick said he had never
heard and had never Investigated
these charges.
Senator Harrison suggested that Or
LEANED. member of the board was
connected with the Depa-tment nf
Justice, ard that he should have been
able to learn the true facts as to
whether Moens was German spy
The records show that this man
was German spy and in the employ
of Germany from 1914 on" said Sena
tor Harrison.
II never heard that" replied DR.
Van Schaick.
Continuing, Senator Harrison said
that Moens had spread German prop
4 Aganda in this country from 1914 on.
Heard Charge in 1919.
n. Van Schaick said that he had
{ heard thSk;harge when he returned
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