The Washington herald., 1920-09-24
TRIPS FRISCO
AT INAUGURATION
FEATURE OF PROBE
FROM PAGE ONE.

and an effort on the part of the COM
mittee to find out from DIR. p. z.
Clarion, commissioner of education,
just who was responsible for the
presence of league literature and
propaganda in government publica-
tions.
As the result of its Investigations
yesterday, which showed that the
assistant to Edwin T. Meredith, Sec
retary of Agriculture, Floyd r. Har-
rison, had rendered a bill for ap-
proximately 5000 for trip accom-
paying his chief to San Francisco,
and that George NJ. Montrose, Frank
r. Nedecker, r. +. Stewart, and J.
f. Hoover, of the Department of
Justice, also took trip to the Coast
at that time at the expense of the
taxpayer. the committee asked that
all such trips made by members of
the Department of Justice be looked
up and brought before the commit
tee on Saturday.
Other Departments to Follow.
Investigation also is to be made
of other government departments
TO see what other official business
there was on the coast at that time
ment workers.
Activities of Gov. Cox in behalf of
members of the Cripps family when
exemption for the draft was being
sought for them figures quite prom
inentlv in the examination of
Scripps The witness denied any.
positive or personal knowledge of
the letter said to have been written
by Gov. Cox in behalf of his broth
er. James G. Scripps, or what higher
power it was that saved him from
the army afteer the local and dis
trict boards had refused his ap-
peal for deferred classification.
For Peoples Best Interests.
The letter of Gov. Cox which said
hat those who are connected with
a newspaper who are directly or in
directly responsible for its policy or
the soul which animates that policy,
should by all means be exempted
from service in the army" and
which referred specifically to the
case of James G.. Ccripps was in the
hands of the committee, but Mr..
Scripps acknowledged that the serv-
ice sent out by his service was
frankly partisan" and designed to
elect Gov. Cox because it was
thought that was for the best in
terests OF the people" denied that
this supper was influenced in any
way by the letter than Mr.. Cox
had written or that he considered
he was paying off a debt to the
Democratic candidate. He also in
sisted that he hOugh he was of
more service to his country by re-
naming in the position of editorial
director of the SCripps-McRae pa
pers than shouldering a gun.
barnes Denies knowledge.
Barnes was the first witness Of
the day and he again denied know
ledge or responsibility for a sub
scription blank of which the com
mittee had photostat copies which
implied that the book published by
Mr.. Barnes was to be used as Re
publican propaganda. He also re-
iterated his denial that any money
was to go to the Republican cam
paiEn fund. He said the total
amount received for advertising sold
and subscriptions was $73,675. Mr..
Barnes on several occasions OBJ
asked by the committee on the
BTOunu ludl lntN were pTNlHs MO
his private affairs"
An editorial in School Life. a pub
Iication of the Bureau of Educa-
tiOn. was the primary subject on
which DIR. ClaXtOn was examined.
The committee asked him why it
was that an editorial complimentary
in it's reference had been sent out
to 10000 in a government publica-
tion. DR.. CIaXtOn said that it had
been done during his absence. that
on his return to Washington he
had attempted to have the article
withdrawn but that it had already
been printed. He stated that in
any eevnt it was the intention of
the bureau to work for higher edu-
cational standards and that this had
been the primary purpose in~using
the Cox article. not TO help the can
didacy Of the Democratic candidate
The committee also inquired into
school service conducted by the Bu-
Teau Of Education for a few months
as an inheritance from the Commit
tee on Public Information but DIR.
ClaXton said that it had been
grated on to his department with
its entire editorial staff and he had
never had any specific duties in
connection with it. Members of the
committee charged that it contained
several pieces of ropaganda for the
league of nations.
Believed for "OmciaI" Business.
Almerico SappOne. Disturbing
cleak of the Department of Agri-
culture. presented to the commit
tee vouchers on which Mr.. HarTi-
son had obtained $500 for a "trip
to San Francisco by way Of Des
Moines and Chicago. The voUch-
ers showed that Mr.. Harrison, who
accompanied Mr. Meredith, arrived
in San Francisco June 25 and did
not leave until July 9. He told
the committee that he believed the
the trip was for ocial bTfiisiness,
as the vOuches so stated.
Vouchers produced before the
committee by John c. Fees showed
considerable travel westward by
members of the Attorney Generals
staff about the middle of June.