The Washington times., 1924-05-24
ANGRY
At INNOCENT
KISS JOKE
Woman Witnesses Story at
Muscle Shoals Hearing stirs
Wrath of Senator

An angry quarrel between Sem
ator Norris (Rep.) Of Nebraska,
chairman of the Senate Agricul-
ture Committee, and Mrs, E. A.
Edmundson, Of Decatur, Ala,
whom he accused of bringing
blackmail plot, against him be-
cause she testified he had kissed
a girl at Muscle. Shoals, nearly
broke up the committees hearing
today. Senator Norris declared
the charge was made because he
opposed the Ford offer for the
shoals. He denied he kissed the
girl, asserting that the girl had
kissed him.
:, Woman DOdges Norris.
Norris became so angry when he
arose that Mrs. Edmonston left the
witness chair and took up position
behind it.
"That story of yours is a false
hood" Norris shouted, his face
made scarlet by the laughter of the
other Senators OF the committee:
IL know blackmail plot. when l
see 1t. II you were not a woman
this would not be the end Of this"
II didn't kiss that GIRL" Norris
added. his words coming in a. tor
rent that Mrs. Edmonston's pro.
tests could not dam. "She kissed
me.
"Intimations were given to me
that II I did not favor Henry Ford's
bid for this Muscle Shoals some sort
- hn M
head. l guess this is It,"
The incident which Mrs. Edmon.
ston related occurred during an in
spection visit made by Senator Nor
ris and others.
Betrayed the Kisser.
do you remebre that fine barbe-
cue we had there, SENATOR" the
witness asked. 81 asked you II you
might favor the Ford offer. You
said possibly You said II 1
could kiss one Of these pretty girls,
maybe could be bribed.' Well.
YOU did kiss one and you are against
! the Ford offer. 1t was a betrayal.
Senator"
The crimson that began to spread
over Senator Norris face indicated
the verbal tempest that was, coming.
Are YOU nearly finished?" he
asked with brittle patience. You've
texceeded your time now"
Just a minute, Senators" Mrs.
Edmonston said. but he interrupted
Mrs. Edmonston. you've exceeded
your time now. Besides you've eX.
ceeded all the proprieties and told
falsehood as well.''
Intended Only Pleasantly.
/ Mrs. Edmonston had been intro.
duced to the committee by Senator
Helm of Alabama, a supporter of
the Ford offer, whose constituent
she is.
Norris showed his chair back and
got up.
Did Senator Heflin know IN ad.
vance that you were going to como
here and tell this story?" he shout
ed. WAS this fixed up In advance
to browbeat me? Was this a put
up job?"
why. Senator" said Mrs. .Edmon-
ston, II intended IL only as a
pleasantly. There was nothing put
up. / didn't think It would hurt
you So"
Jibes Adds to His Ire.
ut was fixed up in advance, ;"
Norris repeated. ITS a hold-up
It's part Of a scheme to blackmail
me. / don't care who you are. If
you weren't a woman this would
not end here.
Mrs. Edmundson retreated to the
end OF the room, trying to placate
Norris as she went. She took uE a
seat among the witnesses. All the
members Of the committee tried to
make light Of the affair with laugh
ter and jibes, but they served only
to anger Norris the more.
Mrs. Edmundson's previous testi.
mony had irked Norris. somewhat.
She was free in her criticism of the
committee and the attitude Of the
majority toward the Ford bid. which
she said would mean the salvation
OF the farmers Of the South
! You're Just sitting here ami talk
Ing about helping the manufac.
turers OF North Carolina" she said.
And leaving the rest Of the South
out OF 1t. I'm a farmer. Not a
sidewalk farmer, mind you, but one
who lives on the ground"
Previous to the argument with
Norris. Mrs. Edmundson had one of
a mtlder nature with Senator
Magnus Johnson F..L.) Of Mime.
sofa. They engaged in a warm dis.
cussion OF farming technicalities
and johnson said:
I'm farmer myself, you know"
Are you really?" asked Mrs. Ed.
hudson. She turned to the whole
committee again and said:
Unless you gentlemen do some.
thing: the farmer Of the South is
gone"
up where live they'rs gone
Already" Johnson responded.