Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-29
IN FOR RUM PROBE
AS COUZENS GIVES SIGNAL ,
FOR ACTION BY COMMITTEE
ATTORNEY
To GUIDE SENATORS;
WATSON QUITS JOB

dent with the national campaign oul
the sudden decision of the senate,
committee charged with>~the task to
go ahead brought out formal state.
ments from Senators Watson.
Indiana, and Couzens, Michigan, Re. Z
publicans, explaining their concep'
ton of events leading up to it.
Meanwhile, Democratic members
of the comRittee, Senators King, OF
Utah, and Jones, of New Mexico,
although officially silent made 1t
clear that they were for investlga-
ton, full and immediate, and had
; been all along. The committee re-
! iected the proposal that Francis !.
/ Heney, California graft prosecutor,
be retained as special counsel, but
authorized selection by Senators Cou.
/ zens and Jones, of someone else FOR i
! the work September 2 was fixed
as the date for open hearings in
| Washington. Heney's name had
! been brought forward originally
when the committee was holding
hearings during the session of con-
gress and it had aroused bitter de-
! bate in the senate. At that time
! the committeew as devoting it's atten.
| ton to an investigation of the inter-
nal revenue bureau and tax ques,,
lions in general, and the charge was
made and denied that there was a
drive on against Secretary Mellon.
Open Mind, Says COuzens
Explaining the committee decision,
! Senator Couzens, who, with the two
! Democratic members, hold the ma
jOrity vote, said:
| a,
! Watson called me at Detroit on long
distance telephone and said that
Senators King and Jones were in his
office and that they were G,,,l desir-
Gus of having a meeting and wanted
to know when [ could attend.
81 was in the midst of my cam
paign and told him that if the meet.
ing was wanted at once l could
come. So L cancelled several en-
gagements to attend a meeting Fri.
day of this week. The date was
satisfactory to Senator Watson, who
was on the telephone, so l left De-
troit Thursday and we met in Sen
ator Watson's office Friday morning
July 25, at which time Senator Wat
son said he personally was opposed
to going ahead with the investiga.
ton and, if the committee decided
to go ahead, he would have to re-
sign as chairman, which he did. The
committee then accepted his resigna-
ton and elected me as chairman.
Senator Watson wired Senator Ernst
(Republican), Kentucky, at Denver,
and got his permission to cast his
ballot.
Considerable discussion was had
as to the selection of the income
tax unit and the prohibition unit
OF the internal revenue bureau, for
the purpose of seeing whether the
laws are being properly carried out,
and if any amendments to the law
would improve the functioning of the
internal revenue bureau. The com.
mlttee is going into the matter with
an entirely open mind as to condi.
lions, and as to what they might
lind, or recommend to congress when
1t conVenes again."
Watson Makes Statement
Senators COuzens and Jones left
Washington Immediately after the
session, but Mr.. Couzens said he
would return within ten days. SEN
ator Watson, on learning of the
Michigan senator's public statement
also summarized the events leading
statement of his own.
Senator King, Senator Ernst and
are members Of a subcommittee
on the Mayfield case, which met at
Atlantic City about three weeks
ago." he said 'At that time Sen
ator King said he wanted to find
out what Senator CouZens and Sen.
ator Jones wanted to do with ref
erence to the committee appointed
to investigate the internal revenue
bureau, saying that he regarded the
action of the senate as a mandate
Ito proceed. About ten days ago he
and Senator Jones came into my Of
flee in the senate office building to
talk with me about the procedure.
IL said that / was opposed. to any
investigation whatever and that /
did not believe that we had a right
to meet during a recess. Senators
Jones and King said that they
would look that question up and re-
port to me later. Three or four days
after that they came back and SEN
ator King had a legal opinion on
that subject which he had prepared,
showing that the committee had
right to sit during recess. AT that
time they suggested that they wanted
Senator COuZens present, and there
upon Senator Jones suggested that
[ get the secretary of Senator CouZ-
ems to come to my office to ascer-
tail his wherea bouts. Senator CouZ-
ems secretary came to my office
and informed us that Senator CouZ-
ems was on his farm near Detroit,
but probably could be reached by tel
ephOne, and stating that he would
put in a call.
May Quit Committee
within few minutes my teIe-
phone bell rang and i found Sen
ator Couzens at the other end of the
line. ! told him that Senators King
and Jones were in my office at the
time and wanted to know whether
or not he wanted to proceed with
the hearing. He stated that he did,
and9I then told him that they wanted
me to tell him to come on to Wash
ington. He said that he would leave
that night, which he did / told him
or the telephone that ] was opposed
to any hearing, but that the other
members Of the committee were
present and wanted to proceed.
81 have persistently opposed these
investigations and made two speech
es on the floor of the senate vote
ing my opposition. I resigned as
chairman Of this subcommittee be-
cause / could not consistently re-
tain that position while opposing
the activities of the committee. 1t
is very doubtful whether ] shall re-
main A 6 member Of the committee
at all Il they insist on sitting dur
iius the caInraign."