The Washington times., 1924-02-14
VANDERBILT HERE
READY To
TESTIFY
Banker Must Bare Source Of
Charges Against Harding
He Made in Address.

international News Sergiee.
Travelling along at the thunder
ing speed OF q limited express the
Senate's oil investigation, turned
into new and unexplored channels
today.
DIverting momentarily from the
naval reserve leases by ex-Secretary
OF Interior Albert b. Fall and SEQ
retary Of Navy Edwin DENLY, the
Public Lands Committee summoned
Frank A. Vauderlip, New York
fin&ncier, to explain grave instnt1ae
tons cast upon the late President
Harding and the circumstances sur
rounding the sale Of the Marion
Star.
Sought By Both Parties.
The committee wanted Vanderlip
to give the basis for his allegation
that "a certain Marion newspaper
sold for twice as much 1t was
worth" Democrats and Republi.
cans alike demanded to know
whether the former head of the
National City Bank of New York,
spoke upon gossip" which has
been floating carelessly about In
connection with the leases, or
whether his charges were based
upon something. more solid.
All during the last few weeks
when sensation followed sensation
in conjunction with the oil inquiry,
rumors, most Of them vague and
i'll founded have come to the com.
mittee's attention from all over
the country. Most of these have
been utterly disregarded as too far
from fact to warrant consideration.
But in view of Vanderlip's speech
in Ossining, New York, and his
subsequent affirmation of all the
assertions, the committee was
forced to act and demand an ex.
PLANTATION of the banker.
Crowd Packs Room.
No hearing Of the committee. even
when Fall or E. l.. Doheny were on
the stand, attracted larger crowds
or more attention than today's ses.
sion. The doors to the committee
room were barred long before the
scheduled meeting hour.
Friends of the late President has.
tened to his defense today and de.
nounced Vanderlip. Louis H. Brush,
co-purchaser with Roy D. Moore, of
the Star, in a telegram to the com.
mittee amplifying his formal state
ment that the newspaper was
bought for $3.50. 900, not $3.50, 900, as
said, denounced the
bankers assertions mot only un-
true, but ridiculous"
George B. Christian. jr, secretary
to the late President, declared Van
derlip was IAN unconscionable ira.
ducer Of the memory Of the dead"
Even when hysteria is the order
OF the day the suggestion that the
sale OF Harding's private property
has any connection, near or remote.
with the lease Of Government oil
lands, is so wantonly inexcusable
that adequate comment is hardly
possible" Christian said. 'Vander-
lip has the choice Of proving that
he has been -misquoted or standing
the most contemplate of men,"
1t developed today that the re.
quest for the subpoena Of Wander.
lip came from Democratic quarters,
not from Senator Lenroot Rep) Of
Wisconsin, who, as chairman Of the
signed the order.
When Vanderlip's speech first
was shown to Lenroot he replied
that he did not think any action
was required by the committee be-
cause nothing was mentioned
about the oil leases which, by di.
rection Of the Senate resolution, we
are directed to inquire into"
Later, Democrats on the commit
lee conferred and decided that un.
less a subpoena was issued they
would read Vanderlip's speech into
the record. In view Of this, Lenroot
was said to have taken the stand
that, in fairness to the memory Of
The late President, Vanderlip should
be- made to answer the charges at
1 public hearing of the committee.
rhe order was telegraphed to Van
lerlip in New York.
DOheny to Be Recalled.
Information having been brought
to the committees attention that
former Cabinet officers other than
those previously mentioned were
on Doheny's pay roll, the commit.
tee today planned to recall the oil
to verify or disaffirm the
report.
In addition, the committee wants
to ask him II former Senators are
on his legal staff.
Likely To Reject Counsel.
Informed by Administration SEN
ators that the nominations Of Silas
H. Strawn and Atlee Pomerene az
special counsel could not be con.
firmed, President Coolidge was ex.
pected shortly to formally withdraw
their appointments.
This probably will be delayed
until the committee, at an executive
session planned today, rejects the
An adverse report Of
to on the nominations was pre-.
A.. II A.. "a