The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-03-08
Curtis Denies He
Is''Principal" in
Bennett Message
Kansas Senator Demands to
Be Called Before Commit
tee to Clear His
Name.

Washington, March T. Senator
Curtis of Kansas, assistant republican
leader, demanded today that he be
permitted to appear before the oil
committee tomorrow to deny testi-
mony today of Ira e. Bennett that
he was ''the principal in Benefits
famous telegram of January 20 to
Edward B. Mclean.
After Senator Curtis has made his
statement Bennett will be recalled for
further questioning.
Senator Curtis meantime has issued
a formal statement denying Benefits
testimony and stating that he saw
Bennett only three times, early in
January and twice on January 80.
II have never said anything about
this whole case" said Senator Curtis,
that could not be printed in any
newspaper and which could not havc
been used publicly"
II have talked to Mr.. Bennett three
times and there was nothing In the
discussed. 1 have had no converse
ton with any one that would make 1t
possible for them to refer TO me az
the principal or in any other way
than in my own name.
Says Mclean Sick.
THE first time, Bennett, and be-
lieve Major, came to me and said that
Mr.. Mclean was sick and did not
a. We = HI e~f< = ~
this time, and that his son had been
operated upon and was not well.
They asked me IL / would not see
Senator Walsh and get him to excuse
Mclean coming here. I said there
was no use In my seeing Senator
Walsh; that they had better have =
democrat see him and 1 suggested
that they see either Senator Under
wood or Senator Robinson.
II may have said that 1 could
speak to Senator Lenroot for them.
But I do not recall whether I did
this or not.
Later I saw Senator Underwood
and he said that the subpoena already
had been issued.
1.-THE second and third times Mr..
Bennett saw mo were in, regard to
q speech made by Senator Norris In
which a member Of Mr.. McLean's
family had been attacked. He want
ed me to see Mr.. Norris and get him
to withdraw the reference from the
record. l told him that ] had al
ready done so and that ! had asked
Senator Borah to see Senator Norris.
Senator Walsh also spoke to Senator
Norris on the subject.
Met Bennett In Lobby.
Later that afternoon l met Mr..
Bennett In the lobby. / told him that
Senator Norris already had withdrawn
tho statement from the record and
told him he had better see the news
papermen about 1t and tell them II
had been stricken from the record
He started to thank me, and said
It was not necessary, but l suggest
cd that he ask Mclean to wire his
thanks to Borah and Walsh and when
he communicated with them to give
them my kindest regards.
"I never discussed the political as.
poets OF the case with Mr.. Bennett
at all. l may have said when / told
him that Senator Norris had agreed
to withdraw the reference from the
record that senators sometimes made
statements In the heat OF debate that
they had not intended and would not
otherwise have made.
"I have never discussed this case
with Bennett or any one else In any
manner that could not have been
published freely over my name. and
the above recites exactly everything
and all that I ever said't Mr.. Bennett
about the matter In any way as l now
recall it."
II never received any message for
which I should send thanks or ap.
probation and never sent any,"
ny Associated Press.
Washington, March Tt was said
today at the White House that Presi
dent Coolidge has no recollection OF
anything other than general conver
sations with Ira j.. Bennett. the
Washington Post editorial writer wht
vas n witness today ir the oil In
ouiry.
II was said that the message sent
IE. II. Mclean from tho White House
on January IL, asking the publisher
to "advise Slemp' was sent personal
lily by the president.
Unable to procure the private sec
retary's Palm Beach address without
waking up or recalling some OF thu
White House executive office force
| 1t was explained. the president direct
ed the message to Mclean ss ths
momentarily convenient way oi
Ill