Evening star., 1924-01-23
BOX PLAN INQUIRY
MARKED BY CLASH
BETWEEN SENATORS
Reed Asks Miss Lape About
Opinions of Award Jury on
League of Nations.

a row over the league of nations
broke today at the inquiry of the Sem
ate paganda committee as Senator
Reed. democrat, Missouri, one of the
league irreconcilables, sought to de-
velop the attitude on this question of
the members of the policy committee
peace movement.
There were several sharp passages
between Senator Reed and Senator
Caraway. democrat, of Arkansas.
when Miss Esther Everett Lane
member in charge of the policy COM
mittee of the Box award, insisted
upon her right as 4 witness to re-
spond with more than n mere yes
or no to questions propounded by
the Missouri senator
Senator Reed opened this phase of
the inquiry by asking Miss Lape for
an expression of her own attitude
on the league She replied that she
was not supporter of the league
in its present form. but had become
an adherent Of the league in her "own
mind" Later she added that she
would be for the league with the res
ervations proposed in the Senate.
League Not Considered.
The witness insisted, however, that
in organization of the policy COM
mittee, and the jury of award, the
league question had not been consid-
cred in any way.
Did you know of any person on
the jury of award who was against
the league of nations?" asked Senator
Reed.
Il did not know whether they were
for or against the league, for, as !
have said, their attitude was not
taken into account when they were
selected"
Senator again pressed his question.
Senator Caraway interrupted to say
that, considering the intelligence of
the jury of award, Il would naturally
think they were interested in some
kind of a league" Senator Reed re-
torted that this was matter of
opinion.
Appeals to Moses.
Miss Lape several times appealed to
Chairman Moses for permission to
answer Senator Reeds question in
her own way, and Senator Caraway
protested that the committee was
not authorized to go into the subject.
Finally Senator Reed said he would
not press the question further, as he
thought Miss Lapes responses spoke
adjourned the hearing until next
Tuesday, instructing Miss Lape to be
on hand with certain documents bear
ing on communications between Mr..
Box and herself, and concerning Sc
lection of the jury of award.
Miss Lnpe Testifies.
Miss Lape was called as the second
witness in general investigation
designed to disclose the sources of
funds expended for propaganda IN
tended to influence Congress and the
governments foreign policy.
During his brief examination Mon
day, which was terminated suddenly
when he insisted that what he has
spent in promoting the peace award
is his private affair, Edward w. Box
told the committee he had left de-
tails of operation in Miss Lapes
hands and committeeman sought to
elicit from her information both as
to expenditures and the general op-
Grafton Of the award organization.
On Way to Florida.
Meanwhile Mr.. Box is on his way
to Florida subject to being recalled
at the pleasure of the committee. His
proposal to duplicate his 100000
plan which the committee might Sc
iect from the 22,164 submitted in the
contest, was. laid before the commit
tee by Chairman Moses, who already
is "Wholly beside the mark
Miss Lape traced, step by step. the
operations of the award. She said she
first talked about it with Mr.. Box to-
ward the end of May, 1928, and that
later she entered into an agreement by
which she became the member in
charge of the policy committee.
Il introduced to Mr.. Box as possible
members of the policy committee Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mrs. Frank
A. Vanderbilt" the witness testified.
I'VE selected the rest of the committee,
and after that we formulated the con-
ditions of the award, which were deter
mined toward the end of June"
ORGANIZATIONS Represented.
Miss Lape said the policy committee
set to work to present the matter to
national organizations having head
quarters in New York, and held a
meeting with their representatives.
The organiza tions. she said, included
the League of Nations Non-Partisan
Association, of which former Justice
Clarke is president; the Foreign Policy
Association, the American Bankers AS
sociation, the Federal Council of
Churches of Christ in America, the
New York Peace Society, the World
Court Union, the Co.onial Danes, the
international committee of the Y. NJ.
c. A, and the Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People.
These organizations were asked to
name members to the cooperating
advisory council and to lend the ma
chinery Of their organizations for
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