The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-22
BFUSES TO TELL MOUNT HESPENT.
lok Says He Is Spending Own Money and It's His Own
 Business

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-Senate
 1tment over propaganda in behalf
 &vAx1ous schemes boiled up on the ucE and in committees Monday. Ss hiie the propaganda Investigating SoUmittee labored in vain to wiring 3xom Edward w. Box a statement as W Auw much he is spending in behalf
 91s peace award, the interstate com noxce committee, under the leadership q 1ts democratic chairman, Senator smith of South Carolina, reported fav- soraDiy a resolution which would force the railroads to disclose the amount of money spent in propaganda against rate reductions.
 And on the Senate floor various sen- etors denounced the propaganda which n rolling into their offices with every nlaA delivery.
 Henator Copeland read a letter in 41cuttng that one big New York cor poration was forcing its employees to olgn form letters favoring the Mellon tax plan, under threat of discharge.
 We shall check up on our pay roll to rec who has written and who has not" the letter stated.
 Empl0yeS C0erced
 Senator Ashurst of Arizona read a letter from the governor of his state complaining that railroad employees there are being coerced into signing form letters for the Mellon plan.
 60nator Robinson, minority leader, crtticixing the propaganda committee Tor devoting itself to Bok's personal financial affairs, declared that these letters gave them something to work on.
 The 'hard boiled' propaganda in- vestigating committee found itself un- able to force any real information from Box. The five wise-visaged senator's Moses. New Hampshire Reed, Mis- souri; Caraway, Arkansas; Greene, vermont, and Shipstead, Minnesota filed into the committee room and pre- pared for a Roman holiday with Box. But the quiet, shrewd millionaire editor proved too fast for his inquisitors. In turn, they tried by forcib1e language, argument and persuasion, to force him to say how much money he was spend ing for the peace award.
 1T am spending only my own money, and the amount of it I regard as my own personal business" Box repeatedly answered. Moses and Reed, the most hard -boiled"-of the senators, held ire quent whispered conferences each time the editor refused to answer, at which Box merely leaned back and smiled. DOh 1kcbkCcub
 After four senators had failed to extract a statement from Box as to how much money he had spent, the hear ing suddenly adjourned, with Reed as- serting that they would get the facts if they had to go to Bok's bankers for it.
 Just as soon as the Senate met at noon, Robinson, minority leader, took the floor and denounced what he called an attempt to humiliate Box.
 If this committee persists in its eff forts to humiliate Mir. Box, it will fail of its purpose" he said. Tt ought not to be diverted from it's bigger purpose of Investigating the propaganda behind the Mellon tax plan and the bonus.'
 Then, at o'clock, the Senate com mittee met in executive session. Mean time members had asked the advice of Senate leaders and were told that it might be unwise to attempt to compel Box to divulge his personal financial affairs. Thereupon the committee de- cided to permit Box to continue on his way to Florida and announced that he would not be called before the commit tee again Tuesday, as had been planned.
 The next witness probably will be Miss Esther Lape, who has managed the details of the peace award for the editor.