Evening star., 1920-03-31
WITNESS LEARNED
CLOSELY QU|zzED
At SCHOOL HEARING
MoenS and Bruce Cases
Again Up Before the Sen
ate Committee.

DR.. H. B. Learned. member of the
board of education. was closely ques-
toned regarding the Moens and Bruce
cases at the hearing today before the
Senate select committee investlgat-
ing the public schools.
In order that the testimony OF DR..
Learned may be completed in time for
him to start back to California to-
morrow night the committee met this
afternoon at o'clock and continued
it's session until shortly after 3
O'Clock
A report that Moens might be sum-
moned by the Senate committee was
said by members of the committee
today to be erroneous. They SAID
that it is entirely unlikely that he
will be called.
DIR. Learned on Stand Today.
Senator Harrison resumed his ques-
tioning of DR.. Learned regarding the
Moens case. when the hearing opened
today.
Did Moens visit you at your home
more than once?"
The witness added that the invita-
tion was to give him an opportunity
to study the man and was not given
for social reasons.
You said yesterday" continued
Senator Harrison. that nothing came
to your notice which showed Moens
to be a German spy. Where did he
get his money from in 1916 and 1917?
1t appears from the records that he
was employed by the Roxana Petro-
leum Company of Tulsa. Okla"
DR.. Learned said that the president
of this company was Dutchman.
This company was a subsidiary of
foreign company called the Royal
Dutch Company. owned by foreign in
terests. some of which were German?
asked Senator Harrison.
The witness said that some of the
interests may have been German.
That made no impression on your
mind?" asked Senator Harrison.
Was Before Department of Justice.
DR.. Learned replied that he had
considered the matter and that the
whom he was one. had had the presi-
dent of the Roxana Company before
them. and that it was not proved that
he was a German or that the COM
pany was controlled by Germans.
DR.. Learned said that Moens was
employed as an oil scout.
How long had the president Of the
Roxanna Company known Moens
when it employed him?" asked Senator
Harrison. isn't it fact that he
knew little Of him and that he met
him in New York for the first time?
The witness replied that Aoens re
ceived $3.50 a month salary and his
expenses, which were about the same
amount
"The president of the company ad-
vanced him about $500, did he not?"
The witness replied that he may
have done so, that Moens claimed to
be down and out at the time.
Kept Here by Roxanna Company.
Other questions by Senator Harrison
brought out that 1t was apparently
the intention of the president Of the
ROxanna Company to send Moeps to
Wyoming, but he was never sent and
was kept in Washington practically
all the time. 1t developed also that
months the deposits made by Moens
in bank ranged from $298 TO over
$500 and were made more than. once a
month.
'"The president of this company was
a German, wasn't he?" asked Senator
Harrison.
NO, he was Dutch. a Hoilander"
Senator Harrison. reading from the
records before the Department Of JUS
tice. quoted a letter alleged to have
been written by Moens. in which he
spoke of the confidential nature of
necessary. and further mentioned his
work among the colored people.
Don't you think there was any
thing suspicious about this?" asked
Senator Harrison.
Yes" replied DR.. Learned. He said
that it had raised the question as to
whether Moens might be Ger
man spy.
Another letter was quoted by SEN
ator Harrison, which said in part that
it would be well for Moens to appear
to have some other business than his
DR.. Learned said that the officials
of the department took this to mean
that Moens' alleged anthropology
work was a fake.
Did Moens visit the German en-
bassy?"
1T was reported that he was seen
coming out of the German embassy
early one morning. but we were never
able to prove that rumor."
Went Among Indians.
Senator Harrison brought out that
Moens had been allowed by the presi-
dent of his company to go among the In
dians also. and read letter from Moens
in which i've said that he had met many
Indians and hoped for a meeting where
the Indians have an opportunity of ex-
pressing themselves, and for greater in
Asked if this did not rouse suspicion,
DR.. Learned replied that 1t may have
led the department to believe Moens a
propaBandist, that he was not in SYM
pathy with this country and that he was
seeking to air his grievances. He said,
however. that it did not necessarily show
him to sympathize with Germany
I'VE concluded that this man had
some sympathy with the clements mimi
cill to the United States. We regarded
him as a trouble breeder. particularly
in this community" the witness said.
The witness said that he had served
as chairman of the subcommittee to
investigate Asst. Supt. Bruce. He said
in answer to questions that Mr.. Thur
ston was not present at the investi-
cation and that no copy of the testi-
mony had been given him.
why was that?" asked Senator
Harrison.
He never asked foreit."
WAS that the only reason?"
1T was my impression that 1t was
better not to put the testimony into
his hands" replied DR.. Learned. He
said that he did not feel authorized
to do so unless the board gave its
permission. and that he may have in
formed Supt. Thurston of the fact.
but he was not sure. He told the
committee that each member of the
board was given a copy of the testi-
mony.
"You are sure the superint endent
never asked for the testimony
He never asked me for a copy. He
may have said I think / ought to
see a copy If so, he was indefinite
about the matter. and so was I.
may have told him that he could not
have a copy without authority Of the
board. / did not want to get into a
controversy with the superintendent"
Distributed Bruce Cose Report.
The witness testified that about
5000 copies of the majority report In
the Bruce case, signed by himself
opd N5rS Cook wera pr,ptod apd dis.