Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-16

Morse had several corporations
building ships during the war period.
He secured favorable contracts. He
had millions by way of claims filed
against the Government. AS soon as
McAdoo retired from the Cabinet he
was employed as an attorney for the
Morse interests
Mr. Foster cited from the testi-
mony at the trial of Morse, showing
McAdoo's connection with coal con-
tracts with France and Italy, and in
his summing up said:
II submit to the membership of
this House, submit to the Amcri-
can people-whethcr such employ
mcnt was based on the legal ability
of "McAdoo the lawyer" or whether
it was based on the fact that Nc
AdOo. as Secretary of the Treasury,
had negotiated our loans to France
and Italy, and upon his retirement
from the Cabinet was able to and
did negotiate these coal contracts,
at least in part, through these same
diplomatic channels by virtue of,
not legal ability, but Il status which
would not have existed but for his
official relation to the Wilson ad-
ninistrati ton. Did McAdoo. the
lawyer, in good conscience and
pursuant to the ethics of his pro-
tcsslon. accept employment at the
hands of Mr.. Morse, calling for
compensation in sums totaling APP
proXimately $l.000.000? Let the
! American people answer that ques-
ton.
NH. McAdoo submits himself to
the American people as Il candidate
e.. 10
the Senate committee and directs
the attention of the American people
to the fact that his employment has
not been in violation of a criminal
statute. A President should be
something more than non criminal.
| submit TO the lawyers of this
/ House whether contracts calling for
million dollar fees from the Morse
interests should qualify any man for
the Presidency of the United States.
Aside from those coal contracts.
lis law partner Cotton, former
chief counsel of the Shipping Board.
was engaged in an effort to have his
former associates in the employ,
ment of the Government allow
claims against the Government and
in behalf of the Morse companies,
which claims Mr.. Cotton as chief
counsel for the Shipping Board. had
been called upon to analyze and re-
sst Is this ethical either from
the standpoint of n practicng law
yer or presidential candidate?
Il .listencd to the testimony OF
Mr.. McAdoo, rs we'll as the test-
nony OF Mr.. Doheny, before the
Senate committee. There is fatal
variance. as I see it. between the
testimony of these two gentlemen"
Foster quoted at some length from
this testimony. and in concluding
said:
II submit that the established
law firm of McAdoo. Cotton 81
of these two gentlemen from gov
under which they. as lawyers, were
to receive more than Sl,000,000 in
fees from the motion picture indus
try, the Morse Coal Co. two of the
| Morse shipbuildjng corporations and
the Deheny oil interests. | make
no reference to any possible employ
/ nent OF this firm by any Mexican
! cattle company. Mr.. Bernard Baruch,
| or any of the other numerous ship
building corporations pressing claims
against the United States Shipping
Board. which claims total millions
! Of dollars. American people may
/ well wonder how many of such
! clients would have retained Mr.. Nc
! Adoo during the more than two
! years from his resignation until the
| end OF the Wilson administration
| had not both he and Mr.. Cotton