Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-02-15
Thought it Was His Patriotic
Duty to Scotch the
Rum0rS
WAS HARDING'S FRIEND
Wanted to Clear His Memory.
New York Banker
Says Today

WASHlNGIONs Feb 15.--franR
A. yanderlip told the senate oil com
mittee today that he had no facts
whatever to go on when he recently
brought the name OF Presiden.
Harding into the oil scandal.
His Ossining speech, asking for an
inquiry into circumstances surround
ing the sale Of Mr.. Harding's Marion
Star, he said, was made because he
thought it a public duty to call
attention to current rumors SO as to
stop them.
Il don't even know the price <he
paper sold at" Vanderlip said. The
current story was $3.50, ,0Ou.s
He regarded the rumors. he said
as akin to the whispering cam
paign" that marked the last month
Of the Harding campaign in 1920
Il had full basis for What ! So; s. e = :
he continued, that these were cs.s.<
rent rumors.
Il had never heard any fntfna<it
that the money was paid for the 5f< e
came from oil interests.
Il thought that my statements
would bring US the truth and XIII
those rum ors.
You thought i your public dety
to broadcast rumors which II not
true were reflection on the dead ~
asked Senator Lenroot.
Il thought it my patriotic duty 10
bring out the truth and thus scotch
the rumors," was the reply.
Il was a lifelong friend of alr
Harding. I wanted to clear his mem
ory. That was my only purpose
f.rx l. i L -.
prefaced his statement about tho
Marion Star by saying there are
rumors emanating from Washington
becoming current throughout tie
United States deeply affecting the
public mind"
II would not care to do that.
Vanderlip said when asked for the
names of some of the persons who
repeated the rumor TO him. He said
there were so many he could not re-
member them all.
Chairman Lenroot began the ques-
tioning of the New York banker, as
to his speech Tuesday night in Ds-
sining, n. Y, in which he discussed
the oil scandal and said the circum-
stances of the newspapers sale
should be Investigated.
Questioned about his statement
that the committee had not dared tc
push the questioning of Albert b.
Fall. Vanderlip said it was an I'M
preston he got from the newspapers.
The witness admitted he had not
read in the newspapers that Fan had
claimed constitutional immunity. al
though that story was published
prominently by practically every
paper in the country.
Don't you know it is unfair. Hr-
righteous. to broadcast these things
where there can't be suspicion OF
a faet?" Senator Bursum put in.
1T was an act OF friendship to get
a memory clear. The great fact was
that rumor was becoming nation
allv current. The important thing
was to get the facts brought out.
Have you any other evidence re-
garding the oil scandal?'' asked Sen
ator Dill Democrat, Washington.
NO. I have no evidence in this
famous or infamous oil scandal
He said he naver had heard Of re
port of a million dollar slush tend
here until he saw this mornings ia
pers, and then ne declared that tce
timony given before the committees
Yesterday Indicated that ''the Sources
~ 4AA " ~iAI new I'D ltet = "a =
being poisoned"
Il can't tell you. gentlemen, he
added, that the public is becoming
suspicious of the nature of the In
formation they are getting and OF
the integrity of the federal govern
ment.
I'm this. kettle of gossip I'm
using the wrong word, these runors
there was matter concerning 1he
Shipping Board. the Veterans I3tl
reau, the alien property office. All
this is poisoning the public mind
'The public is losing eonfidence IN
the entire structure OF government
and press with all this showing Of
publishers instead of editors. running
newspapers
The banker insisted that the dues
ton Where did the money conaeI
from ?" for the purchase or the Star
which was part OF his ossinio&
speech. was all part OF the F}1noz<
he was telling his audience ahof1f
That's an Implication eflzif
from the rumor," he added rs
pity there isn't any stcnograpI,}z Re
port OF that Speech Mr. VA4fefIi57
remarked again "Buf Il Is true t;lz1
Continued on p88e
BE nEAsoNAB1us ~ c6n'i ds}s*xr &:
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