Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-08
PRESIDENT EXPLAINS
FLORIDA MESSAGES
SENT TO PUBLISHER

vised at all times about the move.
ments of Slemp.
Il didn't say anything deroSatOry
of the president" said Senator IIar.
rison. Il did say that these tele-
grams bring the presidents name
into the oil scandal; that it shows
the president was in touch with Nc
Lean the very next day after Nc
Lean was confessed to the world as
Il liar
Senator Harrison said he had hop.
ed the president himself would make
an explanation, and he added that
he hoped the country would accept
the statement of Senator Lodge.
Senator Heflin, Democrat, Ala
bama, also replying to Senator
Lodge, declared that mo president is
big enough to be beyond discussion"
in congress or elsewhere.
."The explanation now made" Sen
ator Heflin said, lis not the first eX-
PLANTATION from the president" but
a substitute offered after reconsid.
GRAFTON of the first.
Suggests Slemp Explain
"The first" he continued, was
that it was in reply to cOnGratula-
tons from Mclean upon the New
Yorw speech which the president had
not made when the telegram was
sent. 1t went about 10 o'clock and
the president didn't leave Washing.
ton until IL o'clock.
But after consideration, - the
Alabama senator continued, they
now. say it was in reply to congratu-
lations upon the presidents attitude
toward the DENLY resignation"
Senator Heflin then declared that
Secretary Slemp was "sent to Flor.
ida on a mission; he was sent to
see Mclean"
Senator Caraway, Democrat, Ar
kansas, asked if Slemp had not testi-
fled that he had not expected to
meet Mclean in Florida.
II dislike to see Slemp left in this
embarrassing position" he con-
tinued, land suggest he should ex-
plain that testimony"
No "PussyfOotine"
"Why should we 'pussyfoot' in the
senate" pursued Senator Heflin,
when a telegram as plain as this
says the principafthe head of the
nation-assures Mclean there will
be no rocking of the boat What
could that mean except that things
will not be disturbed?
, Senator Lodge was reminded by
Senators Heflin, Caraway and Nc
Kellar, Democrats, that he had not
criticised senators when President
Wilson was being attacked in the
senate few years ago. Senator Hef-
lin charged that the Republican lead
er then was in the front rank of the
attackersI
Senator Walsh, of Montana, chief
prosecutor in the oil inquiry, charged
that Senator Lodge was trying to use
the "just respect and reverence the
people have for the office of the
presidency and it's present encum-
bent to minimize the effects Of the
oil disclosures.
Notified of Slemp's Departure
The committee had put into the
public record previously a telegram
from FL. E. McKenna, chief door
keeper at the executive offices. dated
December %, informing the publish
er Of Secretary Slemp's departure for
Florida. 1t consisted of a single sem
tence, and said: THE secretary
leaves here tonight $40"
Senator Walsh asked about iong.
distance calls to Palm Peach.
She said she supposed there was
a record of such calls, but didn't
remember when they took place.
w. o. Duckstein then took the
stand.
Duckstein said he had used IAN
obsolete department of justice CODE
in wire messages to his employer
Then a new code had been put into
the Mclean service during January
and February, he said.
THAT Major telegram doesn't
mean anything to me-" Duckstein
said, when asked. 81 think it was
the outcome of a pathological com
pick. That's all 1 can see out of 1t
after several readings"
'The stuff" which the telegram
said he was turning over" he said
consisted of envelopes Mclean had
ordered him to give to the publish.
er's attorney, Wilton J. Lambert.
Duckstein said he had not "the
slightest recollection of the tele-
phone conversation referred to in
Majors ~ essage.
The witness was asked about the
Mary messages. He said he had
turned them over to Mclean with
out comment. Each is claimed t.