Evening star., 1924-04-13
P|NCHOT ASSA|LED
in c. 0. ?. RALLY To
MELONS DEFENSE
Watson Charges Governor
Inspired Heney'S Selection
to Hit Coolidge.
REED WOULD EXPUNGE
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Test to Come in Vote on Indiana
Senator's Motion to Dis
charge Committee.

breaking the silence which has
heretofore marked their side Of the
chamber during many democratic on
slaughts on the administration, re
publicans of the Senate YESTERDAY
came to the defense of President
Coolidge and Secretary Mellon in q
long and fiery debate surrounding the
Intervention of the President in Sen
ate investigating committee proceed
ure.
Senator Watson of Indiana, chair
man of the Senate committee inouIr
ing into affairs of the internal rev
enue bureau, led off in the debate ana
was the chief spokesman for the re
publicans, being supported by Sena-
tor Reed, republican, Pennsylvania, ir
the exchange with the democrats.
who renewed their assault on presi
dent Coolidge as we'll as Secrrtar,
Mellon.
Brings In Pinrhot
new light was thrown on the
events which prompted the Pres
dent TO send his message Friday
on the Senate investigation situation
when Senator Watson injected tb4
name of Gov. Clifford Pinchot of Penn
sylvania into the situation.
me Indiana senator informed his
colleagues that Gov. Pinchot, who has
had a row with prohibition officials
under the Treasury Department. had
suggested" employment of Franci,
j. Heney of San Francisco as special
counsel for the Senate committee in
Vestigating the internal revenue bu-
reau. Mr.. Heneys services would
be paid for personally by Senator
Couzens, republican. Michigan, au
thor of the Investigation resolution
and the committee prosecutor"
Senator Watson said that he had
himself given Secretary Mellon in
formation of the Pinchot development
and the result, he added, was Mr..
Melons letter to the President and
the special message sent to the Sen
ate Friday by Mr.. Coolidge in pro
test
Will Move to Qunsh.
Senator Watson interpreted tn
message as dealing only with the
internal revenue bureau situation
and asserted his purpose to press his
resolution to quash that investigating
committee.
Democratic senator's were not salts
fed. however. that the language OF
the message was not designed to re-
buke all Senate investigating COM
mittees, and for hours they directed
a heavy fire Of criticism at the Presi-
dent and Secretary Mellon. Late in
the day Senator Reed. democrat, Mis-
souri,, introduced a resolution to Eek
punge" the message from the Senata
records, asserting that it was 'fn-
sulting to the Senate" The text or
the resolution, which was permitted.
with the assent of the Missouri sena-
tor, to lie on the table, follows:
Resolved, That the communication
of the President of the United States
| of date of April IL, 1924, and the let
ter Of the Secretary of the Treasury
of date of April 10, 1924. be and they
| are hereby expunged from the rec
ords OF the Senate"
Not Backed by Leaders.
The Reed resolution was not in
| spired by the minority leaders, Sena-
tor Robinson of Arkansas. demo
| cratic leader, said later. Other demo
cratic Senate chiefs were frank in
saying they did not expect it to be
adopted or to be pressed as a party
strategy measure.
Senator Watson, in his reply to
democratic assaults, opened Senate
proceedings yesterday by Informing 3
his colleagues that Senator Couzens
had told him the suggestion for
Heney's employment had come from
Gov. Pinchot. The Michigan senator
was still confined to his home by Sc
rious illness, and no attempt to bring
any resolution pending in the contro
versy was made in his absence.
The Indiana senator said Senator
Couzens would confirm the statement
that Gov. Pinchot had intervened in
the situation, and added that both he
and Secretary Mellon knew what
that meant"
Implies UIterior Motive.
HE knew and 1 knew" Senator
Watson said, that from that moment
the purpose of the inquiry became
destructive and not constructive
The Indiana senator said the
change of scenery which brought
Pinchot and Heney into the picture
meant not only the exploration OF
Secretary Mellon's private affairs but
that every activity of the prohADi-
ton unit would be brought before
| this committee"
Everybody knows that with Mr.. Pin
| chot and Mr.. Heney back of it there
would be no end to the investigation, .
Senator Watson continued. There would
be thrown out dragnet of gossip and
scandal and come about an era of Vi
| tuperation unequaled in the political an
nails of America"
At another point Senator Watson said
Mellon is not being attacked for Me-
| Ions sake, but in an effort to get the
President
| Mr.. Mellon is the main support OF
| Mr.. Coolidge and Mr.. Coolidge w1n uA-
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