Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-01
Eight Senate Probes
TO Report at Short
Session Congress

Washington, Nov. 29-U5y \. Pr
During the short session OF Congress
beginning Dec. /, eight special Sen
ate investigating committees will be
required to submit final reports Oh
their findings. At the last session OF
Congress ten Investigations we're au-
thorized, and only two Of them were
completed.
The diploma mill" inquiry, OF
which Senator Copeland, Democrat
New York, was chairman, concluded
hearings ard recommended two bills
to Congress, neither OF which has
passed. One bill would prohibit the
circulation through the mails of
diploma milf literature and the
other would create a council of uni
, versitie5 and colleges to fix standards
for educational institutions in the
District of Columbia.
The Veterans Bureau investigation
was completed by the committee OF
which Senator Reed, Republican
pennsylvania, was chairman, and the
evidence turned over to the coults.
. The uncompleted hearings are
those dealing with the government
Oil leases in the Teapot Dome and
California fields, administration of
the Department of Justice under
former Attorney General Daugher-
tvs charges of fraud in the sale of
: 1 eHaS lands, conduct vi the Internal
revenue Bureau, campaign eXpendi-
lures, the Maytield election contests,
Russian propaganda i'll the United
States, and charges OF the use OF
propaganda to influence legislation.
Further hearings into campaign
expenditures will be held shortly
after Congress conyencS. This inves-
tlGation was authorized under a
resolution introduced by Senator La
Toilette. Republican,. Wisconsin, and
the investigation was opened during
the last few weeks of the campaign
when Senator LaFollette charged the
Republicans with using large
'slush fund
The Investigation of the Internal
Revenue Bureau was started as the
result of a resolution introduced by
| Senator CouZens, Republican, Michi
gan, which directed the committee 10
recommend corrective legislation at
the close of the hearings. Brief
hearings We're held during the sum-
her recess. but the committee En-
cesseu while Earl J. Davis, commit
tee counsel and his staff of invcstisa-
tors assembled additional infoIma .
ton.
Senator Spencer, Republican. Mis-
| souri,. chairman of the committee in =
vcstigating the election of Senator
Maytield, Democrat. Texas. plans TO
reopen that inquiry after Congress
| assemblies. CHE investigation is the
result of contest brought by
George L. Il. Pc1dy, Independent
Democrat. VINO was endorsed by the
Republicans in the Texas campaign.
Peddy's petition charges that the
and that the ku klu:, Khan in
fuenccd the election.
The taking of testimony in the De-
rartment of Justice inquiry Is re-
garded by some committee members
as practically completed. \ final re-
port will be withheld pending the de-
cision Of the Supreme Court on the
case of Nal Dougherty. brother of the
former attorney general. who refused
to recognize a committee subpoena
calling for his appearance with rec
ords OF his bank. at Washington
Court house, Ohio. The case has been
advanced to Dec. / on the Supreme
Court docket.
y partial report was made by the
committee investigating the Teapot
Dome and California oil leases at the
close of the last session. but an at
tempt by the Democratic members
Of the committee to get 1t adopted
by the Senate failed. The partial re-
port was prepared by Senator Walsh,
Democrat. Montana. and signed by a
majority of the committee. Senator
Spencer. Missouri. Republican
member OF the committee, submitted
a minority statement.
1t is possible that q final report