New Britain herald., 1924-02-15

Did you consider the broadcasting of slander a friendly act?"
 'I considered broadcasting the fact that slander was abroad, to get it cleared up. friendly act" Wander lip insisted. "I believe the facts will entirely kill the scandal.
 T don't know what the Marion Star was worth. I don't know its earn ings. Presumably the men who pur- chased it were experienced and knew their business"
 Tipped on Newspapers Under continued pressure by com mittee members. the banker denied that he had written in advance to the New York Tribune that he was going l to make "a sensational speech" A moment later he conceded that he had told "a friend on the Tribune" that he was going to make a speech and that it would be interesting. | The Tribune. he said, carried his speech in an early edition, but omit ted it in later editions. Senator Adams insisted the reverse was the case.
 Now, let's see," Chairman Lenroot intervened. You made this arrange ment and yet you took no care to see what you said did not reflect on President Harding"
 Mir Vanderlip repeated he was ''broadcasting the fact that scan- | dal was being broadcast"
 Did you tell these people you did not believe it?" Chairman Lenroot de- manded.
 "Yes, yes" Mir. vanderlip cried. ''I told them I didn't have the facts the | information
 Was that way of showing friend ship?" Chairman Lenroot said.
 You were willing to let it go to the country you believed these things?"
 "I was not" tho witness said. Don't you know it is unfair, un- righteous. to broadcast these things where there can't be a suspicion of fact?" Senator Bursum put in.
 Tt was an act of friendship to get memory clear. The great fact was that a rumor was becoming nationally current. The important thing was to get tho facts brought out.
 Have you any other evidence re- garding the oil scandal?" asked Sem ator Dill, democrat, Washington.
 No. I have no evidence in this famous or infamous oil scandal"
 He said he never had heard Of the report of a million dollar slush fund here until he saw this mornings papers, and then he declared that tes- timony given before the committee yesterday indicated that "the sources of information. the newspapers are being poisoned"
 T can tell you, gentlemen" he add ed, that the public is becoming sus- picious of the nature of the lnforma- ton they are getting and of the in- tegrity of the federal government.
 Tn this kettle of gossip-I'm using the wrong word, these rumors--there was matter concerning the shipping board, the veterans bureau, the alien | property force. all this is poisoning | the public mind.
 "rhe public is losing confidence in | the entire structure of government | and press with all this showing of | publishers instead of editors running | newspapers"
 The banker insisted that the ques- ton "where did the money come | from?" for the purchase of the Star | which was part of his Ossning speech, | was all Il part of the rumor he was telling his audience about.
 That's an implication arising from | the rumor," he added. Its n pity | there isn't any stenographic report of | that speech" Mir. Nanderlip remark | cd again. "But it is true that I said | in it knew nothing of the facts.
 over and over again committee members took him through the word. ing. At one time he said his use Of fl the term "higher-ups' must have re- ferred to the president of the United States when Mir. Fall was a cabinet member. The statement resulted from a hypothetical question by Senator Plttman, democrat, Nevada.
 All his terms, such as lifting the edge of a shroud," were meant to de- scribe the scandal. he said.
 He finally declared the sale Of the Star was not associated in his mind with the oil scandal.
 When the committee finished its William IT. vodrey, attor- ney for the owners of the Star, took over cross examination of the banker. M
 Nauderlip said he had verified an abstract Of his address which had been submitted to him by The Asso- ciated Press.
 He had made no effort to get ''any whatever" as to the truth or falsity Of tho rumor about the sale of the Star. he said in reply to anoth- Pr question.
 IL might have been courteous thing" the witness said. for him to have inquired Of the owners of the Star about the sale before he made his speech and that on the other hand t might have been 'an impertincnt hing to do."
 Nobody was interested in what a newspaper in Ohio sold for" Mr. Eandcrlip said. "1t was the inn ,lications that were important. It ras surprise to me to have the con lection attributed to an oil connec. ion.
 "It was the purpose Of this speech 0 bring about an investigation. but .ou did not know that reporters were present ?" Mir. Nodrey insisted.
 That's right" Mir. Nanderlip re- ,lied.
 You did not have an Associated Press reporter bring you copy Of our speech ." Mir. Nodrey continued, and ask you 10 verify it. saying it you5 not be transmitted until that ras done?'
 "A reporter, saying he represented Inc Associated Press handed me an xcerpt from the Tribune" Mr. Van crlip repiied' "and I corrected it and