The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-12
Message Depiores Wave
OF Investigation.
Would End 1t
RESENTS INTRUSION
INTO TREASURY
Committee Goes Beyond
Law In Retaining
Heney, He Ayers
THRILLING NATTER
DECLARES WALSH
Would Know Exactly What
President Wants Sena-
tors To Do


ISOLATED Press. president Coolidge
and Senate democrats verged today to-
ward an open breach over future con-
duct of Senate committee Investigations.
In a special message the President
admonished the Senate to confine its
committees within constitutional
and legal rights" Return to govern
ment under and in accordance with the
usual forts of the law of the land, was
required, the President said, by the
state of the union. The message
evoked a storm of democratic protest.
Senator Walsh of Montana, prosecutor
for the Teapot Dome oil investigation.
declared the message was rebuke to
all Senate investigation committees
1.-THE President wants us to stop
these investigations and he ought to say
sO," the Montana senator said. or
course, he isn't asking anything of that
kind, but che message unquestionably
was written to, formulate public opin-
ion which would have that effect"
Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the
democratic leader; Senator Jones OF
New Mexico. and others from the dem
ocratic side, joined in the attack, which
held the Senate far beyond its usual
closing hO~-. 1t went unanswered from
the republican side.
Aimed At Mellon Inquiry
The specific investigation at which
the presidential message was aimed was
that involving the bureau of internal
revenue. The President challenged,
under cited statutes, the legal authority
of the committee to employ Francis J.
Heney of California as counsel. with
Senator Couzens, republican, Michigan,
instigator of the investigation, paying
the costs of Heney's employment.
Senator Walsh dismissed this as a
-strifling matter exceedingly trifling
Senator Jones, who Is q member of the
investigating committee, introduced a
resolution authorizing the committee
to employ counsel, paying expenses out
of Senate contingent funds. This reso-
luton, designed as flank move against
the pending effort of Chairman Wat
son, republican. Indiana, of the inves-
tigating committee to discharge the
committee from all the labors, Joined
the Watson resolution on the table.
Letter Quoted
Both Senator's Robinson and Walsh
aimed their fire at the more general
statements of the message. The Presi-
dent transmitted with the message 4
letter from Secretary Mellon of the
treasury which prompted his interven-
ton, also copy of the committee resO-
luton authorizing employment of
Heney. With reference to these, the
message characterized the attack be-
ing made on the treasury department"
as going beyond the limits of "legiti-
mate requirements"
Constitutional rights of the Senate
and executive departments should be
maintained, the President said, adding:
But these rights ought not to be used
as a subterfuge TO cover unwarranted
intrusion. 1t is the duty of the execu-
tive to resist such intrusion and to
bring to the attention of the Senate
Its serious consequence. That l shall
do in this instance"
Deny Intrusion
Senator Jones and Senator Walsh
denied there had been any intrusion
or attempt at intrusion, into the de-
partments by any of the Senate inves-
tlgatlng committees. Senator Walsh
declared that the President had him
self accepted the evidence of the oil
and was prosecuting through
special counsel the 'larcenies' uncov-
cred by that committee. He demanded
that some one vino can speak for him
tell, us what the President wants ~
to do, or to omit to do
The message referred specifically to
a request made by Senator Couzens last
Wednesday in the revenue bureau in
vestigating committee on bureau off.
Gals who were present for a list of
companies in which Mr.. Mellon was
interested other than those corporations
on which secrecy of tax returns had
been waived by the companies and the
tax records presented for committee
examination.
Seemingly the request for a list of
the companies in which the Secretary
of the Treasury was alleged to he in
terested for the purpose of nivestigat-
ing their tax returns must have been
dictated by some other motive than a
desire to secure information for the
purpose of legislation" the message
said.
4 Personal Grievance"
Secretary MELONS letter declared
that 1T is now obvious that his (Sena-
tor Cluzens) sole purpose is to vent
some personal grievance against me-"
Senator COuZens was not in the Sem
ate to answer these statements. He is
confined to his bed with an attack of
indigestion described as serious but not
dangerous. II has been agreed on the
republican side that no action on the
Watson resolution to discharge the
committee would he taken until Senator
Couzens could he present. Senator
Jones made a similar announcement in
with his resolution to au-
thorize employment of counsel by the
at Senate expense. The New
Mexico senator did not ask for its con-
Senator Robinson referred to that
part of the Mellon letter in his re-
marks.
"Manifestly,' he said. the Secretary
of the Treasury has felt that because
of his differences with the senator from
Michigan that he is prejudiced by the
selection of an adviser (Heney) by Mr..
COuzens. Let me ask what there is tn
fear in the further proceedings of this
committee?"
Senator Robinson said that he would
do or say nothing to widen the breach
between the Senate and White House.
(CanflnuaH nm rmaa Ts,.O