Indiana daily times., 1922-03-31
MELONS RIGHT
TOCABINET JOB
ATTACKEDDA
Eligibility of Secretary 3
coming Bone Of Con-
tenti0n.

WASHINGTON, March 81. - IT,
eligibility of Andrew ". Mellon to sery
as Secretary of the Treasury is becomv
ig almost a daily bone of contention n.
Congress. ~
Demand after demand has been madsi
that the man who is credited with rum
ming John D. Rockefeller a close second
as the wealthiest man in the United
States-individually and not as Secretary
of the Treasury-be ousted from his Job
in the Presidents Cabinet.
Representative Brand Democrat, OF
Georgia. is one of the latest assailants
Of Secretary Mellon Brand has served
formal demand on the Senate that, while
1t is investigating the eligibility OF
Senator SmOot and Representative Bur-
ton to act as members of the Debt Re-
funding Commission, it include in the in
quiryN determination of the status Of
Mellon to act, not only on the commits.
sion, but as Secretary Of the Treasury.
'The question involved is one in which
every taxpayer in the United States is
interested" says Representative Brand.
"It is a worldwide known fact that
certain European nations owe the United
States about $11, 900 ,000, 900. 1t is general
ly known also that they owe a group Of
international bankers about $1,000, 900, 900.
This group Of international bankers
are bent on having their money and are
interested. in collecting it whether the
United States ever collects a dollar or
not. Here are two classes of creditors,
with claims against a common debtor
which is generally reruted to be bank
rupt Their interests are in conflict and
are adverse. Therefore, it becomes a
very important matter to know whether
or not Mr.. Mellon is the owner of any
of these obligations due these priva%
bankers or whether any of his kinfo IL
within the prohibited degree are the owns
ers of them or whether any of the great
banking and financial institutions to
which he belongs is the owner of any of
them or interested In any of these debts"
Brand declares that there is statute,
placed on the Federal books in 1889,
which disqualifies the Secretary Of the
Treasury from acting if he is engaged
In the business Of trade or commerce or
If he owns any State or national Sc
curities.
Brand declares that Secretary Mellon
IS connected with three banks, four In
surance companies, seven educational and
philanthr0pic institutions and sixty-two
other corporations.
The Georgia Representative indicated
that in his opinion, Mellon is connected
with the international banking interests
to which Europe is indebted to tbs e5-
tent Of 5000, 10000.
''The truth is" he said, "some OF thesA
international bankers want the debts duo
the United States Cancelled, knowing IL
this is done that it will make their debts
against the European nations worth q
hundred cents on the dollar.
Those who do not come out squarely
for cancellation Of these debts are in
tehsely interested in having the United
States agree to a long time postpone
ment of the collection of its loans. Mr..
Mellon believes in this. The minute this
is done. and it is going to be done. the
debts Of the private bankers will in
crease in value, and every dollar Of the
same will be collected before the United
States collects a dollar of its principal
debit