Evening star., 1921-01-21
SCHWAB DENIES
ABAD|E'S CHARGES
Says He Paid Every Cent Of
Personal Expenses While
4,
With Shipping Board.
By the Aseocia ted Press.

By the Aseocia ted Press.
NEW YORK, January 21.-Charles
NJ. Schwab appeared before the Walsh
congressional committee this morn
ing and denied testimony given yes
| terday by Col. E. H. Abadie, former
controller Of the United States Ship
ping Board. to the effect that Mr.
Schwab's personal expenses for octo-
ber, 1918, amounting to $260,0o0, were
charged to the Shipping Board.
Mr.. Schw alb declared the stasemerts
maliciously false" and titat he per-
sonally paid all his own expenses
during his term Of Office as dtrectcr
general of the Emergency Fleet Cor
operation. essxss. 4 s..ss-{54 ~
Evea REFUSED u salary. sssl
Mr. Schwab said that. although he
was supposed to receive n dollar a
year salary. he did not even collect
that. and for his travels from ship
yard to shipyard. while at the head
Of the Fleet Corporation. he asserted.
he never received any compensation
and did not want any.
Mr.. Schwab admitted such voucher
as that charged by Col. Abadie may
have been paid to him. but declareq
It was not for the purpose claimed
by Abadie and no part of 1t was
charged to ship construction;
His acceptance OF the position as
head of the Fleet Corporation. he
told the committee. was only at the
urgent request of the chairman Of
the board and President Wilson.
In accepting the place. he declared.
with his own shipbuilding companies
be handled by other members of the
board.
.Abadie Hopes Voucher II Error.
Col. Abadie. who again took the
stand, said he regretted the necessity
for connecting Mr.. Schwab with the
error and that Mr.. SchWab would be
cleared
Asked further concerning the vouch-
er, Col Abadie reiterated his previous
testimony that Information concern
ing 1t had been given to him by Mr..
ants employed to audit shipigg Board
books He said the charge Twas en-
tered as overhead" in the main Office
of the Bethlehem Company and $780,
900 was charged to ship construction.
admitted that Mr.. Morse had told him
how the other $160,00o had been
spent, but declined to repeat what he
had been told. and said 1t concerned
the Bethlehem corporation only.
Mr.. Schwab, who was sitting nearby,
spoke up and said:
"You are at perfect liberty to give
that information II you desire"
Col. Abadie, however. said 1t was
given to him confidentially, and that
he would not repeat it. t~'
schwab to Testify Again.
MIR. Schwab was called before the
committee at his own request, and in
terrupted Col Abadie's running testi-
mony to enter his denial. Chairman
Walsh remarked that 1t was the first
time such a. procedure had been fol-
lowed in the committee.
The chairman also asked Mr..
Schwab to appear again next Tues
day to testify concerning matters re-
lating to the Shipping Board. 1t was
made clear, however, that he was
not being called in relation to the
voucher. Mr.. Schwab said he would
be willing to appear at any time the
committee desired.
Among other witnesses to be called
to testify next week are Edward N.
Hurley, former chairman OF the snip
ping Hoard: Charles E. Piez. former
director general of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation; Commander h. ID:
Gatewood, head Of the division OF
construction and repairs. and Ropert
Hague, his predecessor: