Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-23
COMMITTEE HEARS
MORE DEN|ALS
~ HFUhoO
Barnes Declares His Book Was
Private Commercial Venture
and Liquor Dealers Say They
Never Sought to Finance Cox

Washington. Sept. 22-The Senate in
vestisating committee again plunged into
the seas of Republican and Democratic
campaign financing to-day but at the
close of the session the record had little
affirmative Information on party funds
| TO add to what had previously been dis
closed
! Two fiat denials connected with
charges that have figured in previous
testimony were produced. however. ono
was entered by William Barnes, Jr, who
asserted that the book "Republicanian
J in 1920" published by his newspaper, the
, Albany tN. " Journal, had no connec-
ton with the Republican national COM
mittee and was a private commercial
venture The other denial was made by
| George r. Carroll of Elizabeth ~ T.,
president of the National Retail Liquor
| Dealers of America, and Of the Federated
Liquor Industries of New Jersey. who said
that such support as these organizations
| had given the candidacy of Governor Cox
! for the presidency was in no way con-
nected with the Democratic party flnanc-
! ing.
BARNES CHALLENGES COMMITTEE
Mr.. Barnes carried his denial to the
extent of challenging the committees
right to demand subscription lists for tho
book published by his concern. IIe qucs-
toned its authority to call for an
accounting as to a private business ven
ture, contending that the explanation he
made showed the work not to be a CAM
paign document. After an argument with
Senator Reed, Democrat, Of Missouri
who insisted that form Of subscription
contract differing from those produced ly
the witness was already IN the record
| completion Of Mr.. Barnes examination
went over until tomorrow. Exhihit7
fled with tho committee during its
Chicago sessions will not be available
until then.
Mr.. Carroll acknowledged having
authorized tho sending out that tho
single subscription of John .. Rocke-
feer to the Barnes book was large
than the whole fund raised by the liquor
men. He insisted that such subscrir-
ton was shown in the committee records
and disputing this with Senator
Kenyon. chairman, when adjournment
was taken.
The first witness heard to-day waa
James w. Gerard. former ambassador
to Germany and now chairman of tho
tfinance committee of the Democrats
national committee. He gave the full
mttted his books to show all contrib
utors to y fund which Yesterday to-
tailed $12s S21. The witness told Chair
man Kenyon that national cam
patgn fund of $4,000. 600 would shock
public conscience and insure the defeat
Of the party that raised it." Tie denied
knowledge of any sinister" influ-
ences at work to aid the Republican
campaign fund.
100000 AMPLE SAYS GERARD
Mr. Gerard expressed the opinion
that $4,000, 0On should be an ample na-
tiona1 campaign fund for amy party
and added that he would be thankful
to get $1,000. 600. "or oven sSOO,OO0.'
Included in the list Of Democratic con-
trihutors he presented We're several
with sums of $4,000. and one. Edward
/ L. DohenY, reaching a total of $4,000.
, The 5000 group included r. NJ. Baruch,
Charles b. Alexander, Joseph e VIII
lard and August Belmont
LINKS WALL STREET AND COX
The sharpest clash of the session cama
during thc testimony of Colonel William
Boyce Thompson, chairman of the waya
and means committee of the Republican
, national committee whose assertions that
, charges of q Republican "slush" fund
|, were all ''bunk' aroused Senator Reed.
during rnH lnleTcndnSc thompson hS-
serted that "hg business as represented
by Wall Street financial interests we,a
more behind Governor Cox than Senator
Harding and declared Cox himself was
mot a stranger to Wall Street"
"What about it?" Chairman Kenyon
. asked. while Senator Edge interjected:
, Hes been In Wall Street, has he?"
, THAT fellow got his millions, too"
Colonel Thompson answered. 'and got
-an
, Senator Reed demanded if the witness
knew of "a crooked dollar" Governor Cox
had made and Thompson answered No
, The senator demanded TO know if the
, witness intended to infer that Cox had
been 'in any way entangled with Wall
+ street interests" and Thompson finally
, said his statements were founded on com
mon report. rumors and taIk.'
t ROTH CANDIDATES PRAISED
t "I have nothing against Mr. Cox, what
ever" Colonel Thompson. II would say
he is a clean. fine man."
, "Thanll you for that" replied Senator
! Reed Nobody is throwing any rocks at
Mr.. Harding here and l want to say he ia
very splendid, fine American citizen.
Both of them are
Z mfr. Barnes on taking the stand eN-
s planned that publication OF the book
!, "Republicanism in 19&" developed out
s of a contract made by the Journal COM
$ pany with n Mr.. Young of New York,
T whose business was soliciting special
T edition" for newspapers and similar en-
terprises. The witness said he was not
= In control of the ournal at the time
- and declared the project wa purely
G commercial one no dollar of the money
$ coming from II going to the Republican
q national committee He produced two
= forms of contracts furnished him. he
$ said, by Mr.. Young and denied that there
= was any agreement to "underwrlte' the
J. book for political purposes by the sub
= scribers No attempt to conceal" cam
= paign contributions was involved in the
/, publication, he declared.
n Senator Reed asked if there was not
f third contract form under which men
@ had subscribed as high as $500 for
circulation of this book as a campaign
> document. Barnes said he would not
= produce the subscription lists unless Or
s. dered to do so by the committee, declar-
= ing that II was beyond the power of tho
{ committee in his opinion to go into de-
e tails of private business transactions. An
Z argument followed as to whether EXHIBITS
S showing such subscriptions had not al
= ready been presented and the committee
= adjourned without action on the point
k raised by the witness as TO It's powers.