Evening star., 1924-07-27
C0UZENS DISAv0WS :
INITIATIVE IN MOVE
FOR BUREAU PROBE
CONTINUED from First Paxe.)-

NSoHthuCN lIoui o. L o6C.I-
sonally was opposed to going ahead
with the Investigation and, IL the
committee decided to 60 ahead. he
would have to resign as chairman.
accepted his resignation and elected
me as chairman Senator Watson
wired Senator Ernst at Denver and
got his permission to cast his ballot.
considerable discussion was had
as to the selection of an attorney
to study the complaints and prepare
for continuance of the investigation.
Numerous names were suggested, but
no agreement was reached yesterday.
The committee by unanimous vote
decided to leave the selection of an
attorney and such other officials as
may be necessary to the chairman.
Senator Watson, and Senator Jones.
However, Senator Watson asked to
be excused and the selection of the
assistants necessary for the commit
tee was left to the decision of Senator
Jones and myself.
"A resolution was passed authoriz-
Ing the chairman, at the instance OF
any member of the committee. or on
bis own election, to ask the Treasury
Department for any information any
member of the committee might deem
necessary or advisable for carrying
on the investigation. 1t was the i'm
preston of the committee that II rea-
sonably prompt action was had in
securing an attorney and other help,
1t would take the month OF August
for them to get organized and make
plans for opening the hearings.
coupled with the fact that several
members OF the committee had pre-
pared certain questionnaires which
they desired the Treasury Department
decided that the committee would
then adjourn until 10 am. September
=. Every resolution was unanimous
ly carried.
1T is the committees intention to
investigate the income tax unit and
Revenue Bureau for the purpose of
seeing whether the laws are being
properly carried out, and If any
amendments to the laws would i'm
prove the functioning of the Internal
Revenue Bureau. The committee is
going into the matter with an en-
urely open mind as to conditions and
as to what they might find or recon-
again."
Senator Watson, on learning of the
Michigan Senator's public statement.
up. to the committee meeting in a
statement OF his own.
Watson Issues Statement.
Senator King, Senator Ernst and
! are members OF a subcommittee on
the Ma yield case which met at At
lantic City about three weeks ago.
he said. AT that time Senator King
said ne wanted to find out what Sen
ator Couzens and Senator Jones want
ed to do with reference to the com
mittee appointed to investigate the
internal Revenue Bureau. saying that
ne regarded the action of the Senate
as mandate to proceed. About 10
days ago he and Senator Jones came
into my office in the Senate Office
building to talk with me about the
procedure. 1 said that / was op-
posed to any investigation whatever
ana that l did not believe that we
aad right TO meet during a recess
Senators Jones and King said that
they would look that question up
and report to me later.
Three or four days after that they
came back and Senator King had q
he had prepared. showing that the
committee had right to sit during
recess. At that time they suggested
that they wanted Senator Couzens
present. and thereupon Senator Jones
suggested that l get the secretary
OF senator Corzens to come to my
office to ascertain his whereabouts
senator CouzefSk secretary came to
my office and informed me that SEN
ator Couzens was on his farm near
Detro't. but proba bly, could be reached
by telephone, and stating that he
would put in a call.
within a few minutes my tele-
phone bell rang. and Mound Senator
Couzens at the other end Of the line
l told him that Senators King and
Jones were in my office at the time
and wanted to know whether or not
he wanted to proceed with the hear
ings. He stated that he did, and then
l told him that they wanted me to tell
MIN to come on to Washington. He
said that he would leave that night
which he did. l told him on the tele,
phone that / was opposed to any hear
ing, but that the other members of
the committe were present and
wanted to proceed
have persistently opposed these
and made two speeches
on the floor of the Senate voicinR
my opposition. 1 resigned as chair
man of this subcommittee because
could not consistently retain that
position while opposing the activities
OF the committee. 1t Is very doubt
ful whether shall remain as a mem
Der OF the committee at all il they
insist on sitting during the cam