Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-03
NEWBERRy Baked
/ AT SENATE FIGHT
Counsel Says He Yielded to
Patriotic Persuasion After
First Refusing
DID NOT SPEND A DOLLAR
BY the Associated Press

Grand Rapids, Mich. Feb 3.-Tru-
man II. Newberry entered the l9lS sen
atorial campaign in Michigan at the
solicitation of others and not in fur
therance Of a scheme to get seat in the
Senate. said James q. Murhn, of De
troit. in outlining to the jury in United
States District Court the attitude the
defense will assume toward the charges
of conspiracy and fraud, for which l23
men are on trial
Mr.. Murfin argued that under
the Michigan law. as long as expenses
come within the eleven enumerated
classes in the statute. there is no limit
as to the amount of money committee
of a candidates friends can spend in
his behalf" He continued
''Our country was at war; as the
campaign began to liven up we had just
passed our first year of participation
and the situation was critical in tho cN
treme The fate OF the civilized world
was hanging in the balance with the
last German drive at its height; the
channel ports threatened and the Ger
man advance armies within thirty miles
of Paris.
'Whie there had been rumorS in
Michigan that Henry Ford would be a
candidate for the Senate, his candidacy
was actually announced on June IA.
1915
Brightly or wrongly. many people
remembered his campaign against mill
tary preparedness. Many people remem.
bered his well meant. misguided efforts
TO bring about what now appears would
have been a German peace. Many people
were bitter over the fact that he was
not active in the war and that none of
his family had become active in the war.
Newberry's Militant Record
''On the other hand, Commander
Newberry had had an honorable record
In the Spanish American War. when iu
the navy he was under fire and actively
participated in overcoming a superior
force. He had been secretary of tht
navy in the cabinet of that militant
American, Theodore Roosevelt.
Within forty eight hours after oui
country threatened to enter the world
war he volunteered. and. in the sprns
of 1917, was commissioned lieutenan
commander and made aide to the com
mandant of the third naval district n
New York. His brother and his TIVE
sons were also in military service.
Reluctant to Enter Political Fight
Getting in this campaign was no
OF the choosing Of Commander New
berry. and he entered with the utmos
reluctance and only after repeated prg
ing. As early as August, 1917. whel
IL was generally understood that tn
senior senator from Michigan. William
Alden Smith. would not be a Canddat
to succeed himself q group Of repre-
sentative citizens had a conference ol
the senatorial situation. In addition
to the governor of the state there at
tended q publisher. banker. a lawyer
soldier and a business man,
after canvassing the qualification
Of other distinguished Republicans,
was their composite judgment that the
should organize movement to eleC
Truman Fl. Newbprry. Their desire
were communicated to the commando
fwho. by the way. never left his pos
of duty from the spring of 1917 unit
the war was over). Mr.. Newberry ex
pressed doubts as to the propriety of h
being candidate, and after a brief eH
,.mination and discussion he declined I
ne drafted into the campaign and re
fused to further consider the propose
IN December aud January this move
ment continued to gather force unit
finally the commander seriously set OF
70 determine whether it was his dut
and would be desirable for him to rul
Newberry Spent No Money
''It was not until this had all har
pened that he consented TO the use
his name. He stipulated that he cou
not leave his duties, that he could N
be active and that be could not cor
tribute one dollar to this movement.
''This determination not to be acti,
nor contribute one cent was religious
adhered to by him from the beginning