The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-26
COTJZENS LINES UP
 WITH DEMOCRATS . REVENUE PROBE
Investigation Will Be Continued At Once,
 Says Committee
(By Associated Press.)

WASHINGTON, July 25.-Demo- cratic members of the special Senate committee appointed to investigate the internal revenue bureau, effected an un- expected combination today with Sena- tor Couzens, Michigan, republican, who has been occasionally aligned with the La Toilette group, and successfully em- parked upon a program which IS ex- pected tosadd a new set of fireworks to the approaching presidential camaign.
 The enforcement of the prohibition law by Secretary Mellon and the in- ternal revenue bureau will furnish the question to be delyed into, and the sena- torial inquisitoFs in their work will have the aid of special counsel voiced iu the intricacies of congressional inr qairy Hearires will begin on Septem- Der I.
 AZ fha llfst move in the program to- gaY. Senators King, of Utah, and Jones, of New Mexico, democratic members of the committee, called with Senator Couzens upon Senator Watson. repuh7 lican. of Indiana, chairman of the com mittee. They told him that their three votes constituted a majority and that they intended to force the resumption of the investigation at once and with legal aid. Chairman Watson protested, but his third republica.. colleague, Sem 4tor Ernst, of Kentucky was out of the city and in the ensuing discussion the chairman gave notice that he would resign the direction of affairs in view of the new program.
 Would Accept Resignation
 .Undisturbed, the majority proceeded to indicate their purpose to accept the resignation and to elect Senator Couz- ems chairman, but all four agreed that Senator Ernst should be heard in the meantime. Failing to get in touch with him by telegraph, the committee ad- journed until tomorrow morning, when it will meet to ratify it's purpose and then disband while it's legal staff as- sembles evidence.
 Pending tomorrow's session, partici. pants to the manouvering were rtticent to comment Senator Couzens was said to have the design of employing Francis J.C Heney, San Francisco draft prose- cutor, to conduct the case, against which Senator Watson was openly hos tile, and in favor of which the demo cratic members were not entirely firm
 
 no committee member would say Sena- tor Watson was said to have objected to any renewal of the senate investiga- tion in view of the prolonged proceed ings in the Teapot Dome and Daugherty cases.
 Combine In Control
 However, it was apparent that the new majority of three was ill control, and was intent upon standing together A full statement to the public was lromised- after the meeting tomorrow. Senator Ernst is expected by all Sen ate observers to align himself with Senator Watson.
 The committees investigation of the internal revenue bureau-under which prohibition enforcement is conducted was launched last winter when the full tide of investigation was sweeping through the Senate. The issues re- newed today were taken up then, and President Coolidge protested by a spe- cial message as to some of the commit tees modes of procedure Senator COuzens, after the Senate had voted the committee authority to hire a spe- cial attorney, was taken seriously ill and removed to Johns Hopkins hospital at Baltimore. Since that time, the in quiry has been at a standstill.
 Controversy Over ,Heney
 While the hearings were on, the Sen ate debated s&t length whether they should not be confined to the tax col lection methods of the treasury. Heney's name was the center of controversy, and Governor Pinchot of Pennsylvania, who voiced criticism of the treasury pro hibition enforcement, announced that he had urged the Californian's selection upon Senator Couzens. During the dis pute, details as to prohibition enforce mcnt were constantly dragged into the paugherty inquiry, which Senator Wheeler, now the vice presidential can didate with La Toilette, was then di- recting. 1l
 While the question of the committee going into prohibition enforcement was being debated in the Senate, those op. posed to the move strenuously objected declaring other congressional commit. tees were charged with that subject Most of the hearings of the committees heretofore have dealt with Secretary lIellon's conduct of treasury and taz | Eaaaaa