Evening star., 1924-04-12
P|NCHOT DECLARED
BY WATSON TO Be
MAN BEHIND HENEY
Senator Says Entry of Gov
ernor Into Inquiry Meant
End of Usefulness.
REFUSED TO SIGN LETTER
ASKING MELLON HOLDINGS
Believes Investigation Has Gone
Far Enough to Show Nothing
Warrants Continuance.

has sharply criticized national pro-
hibition enforcement, suggested the
employment of Francis j. Heney as
counsel for the Senate committee in
Sestigating the internal revenue bu-
reau, Senator Watson, republican, In
diana, chairman of the committee,
declared today in the Senate.
Senator Watson said he was not at
liberty to repeat conversations, but
that he had learned upon "induspu-
table evidence that Gov. Pinchot had
thrust himself into the controversy
between Senator Couzens, republican,
Michigan, prosecutor for the commit
tee, and Secretary Mellon.
And 1 knew what that meant"
Senator Watson said in referring to
Gov. Pinchot.
The Indiana senator said he had
Informed Secretary Mellon that Gov.
Pinchot had suggested Heney's en-
ployment and that it was tins in
formation which prompted Melons
letter to President Coolidge, trans
mitted yesterday to the Senate.
He knew and l knew, Senator
Watson said, that from that moment
the purpose of the inquiry became
destructive and not constructive"
Inc lnNSSClSdllHS Sudll
man said he had signed subpoenaS in
blank at Senator CouZens' request,
and that the latter had sent to him
last Tuesday letter addressed to
Secretary Mellon asking for "a COM
plete list of all corporations in which
the Secretary held stock and the
amount of stock he held in each
Il refused to sign that letter" SEN
ator Watson said, adding that he
informed Senator Couzens he regard
of ha mi ffoa SC
business.
Later, Senator Watson said, he dis
cusSed with Senator Couzens and
Prof. Thomas Adams, committee ad
NlSer the future course of the COM
mittee and told them the investiga-
tion had gone far enough to show
there is nothing ip it,"
The latest turn taken by the in
TeStigation, the Indiana senator de-
clared, would change the scenery, of
the inquiry, and would mean the
exploration of all of Secretary Mel
Ions private affairs. and would make
1t necessary that every activity of
the prohibition unit be brought be-
fore this committee"
Everybody knows that with Mr..
PiHChot and Mr.. Heney back of it,"
Senator Watson said, there would be
no end to investigation. There would
be thrown out a dragnet of gossip
and scandal and there would come
about an era of vituperation un-
equaled in the political annals of
America
Senator Jones of New Mexico, a
democratic member of the commit
tee, said the records of all the COM
1iantcs in which Mellon was inter-
e'ted had not been presented to the
committee, and that in the case of
the returns of the three big corpora
rtons which were before the COM
1nittee there had been as yet no
opportunity for complete audit
and check"
Senator Watson recalled that Senator
fouzens had told the committee there
was to be no Undertaking" and the
Indiana senator declared it had been
his purpose not to have any mud
singing" or "besmrching of the char
FcterS of any citizen, in or out of
public office"
There came a sudden change over
my friend from Michigan" he added,
IN discussing the proposal to employ
Heney, at his personal expense.
Will Accept Challenge.
The Senate, it was predicted today
by influential members, will accept
the challenge thrown down by Pres
ident Coolidge yesterday in his mes
sage to the Senate relating to the
right of the Senate to conduct in
vestigations of the government de-
partments and others in such man.
ner as the Senate and it's committees
may see fit.
Direct action on this matter will
come when the Jones resolution, au-
thorizing the Senate committee in
Testigating the bureau of internal
revenue to employ counsel, is brought
TO vote. The resolution today was
referred to the committee on audit
and control of the contingent ex-
penses of the Senate from which the
fees of such counsel must be paid
Adoption Predicted.
This resolution, it was declared by
Senator Walsh of Montana, who
prosecuted the Teapot Dome investi-
cation; by Senator Harrison of Mis-
sissippi and others, including repub-
licans, will be adopted. The demo-
Gratis do not expect to lose any Of
their voting strength on this issue
and they expect to have a consider
able number of republicans with
them, particularly the group of So
called insurgents.
In certain quarters an interpreta-
tion of the Presidents message that
the Senate should cease its investi-
cations has aroused resentment.
There is feeling that an ugly situ-
alton may develop between the Sem
ate and the White House, and this
an many quarters is deplored.
One of the republican leaders Of
the Senate said that he did not think
the Senate would ever yield its rights
to conduct Investigations He point
ed out that the Senate has the power
TO ask for records of the government
and for other data and that the Presi-
dent has the power to refuse to allow
the Senate or its committees to have
this Information If, in his judgment,
the Senate tranSgresSes lawful limits,
or If the presentation of the informa.-
tiOn called for would be against the
best public policy.
Admit Couxens Wrong.
The opinion is general that any
counsel employed by a Senate COM
mittee to aid in prosecuting an in
vestigation should be paid for out
of government funds, and not from
the private purse of any senator or
other persons. The action of the
s5enate committee Investigating the
Continued on Page 4, Column 6.)