Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-01
Clash of LenrOot
And Hefin Is
Feature of Debate

Washington, Feb. 20.-1ndict-
ments in the oil inquiry were made
the subjects of stirring debate to-
day in the senate, which eliminated
in q bitter forensic encounter be-
tween Chairman Lenroot of the oil
committee and Senator Hefiin, Dem
ocrat. of Alabama.
This clash grew out of the visit
which Senators Lenroot and SmoOt
Republican, Utah. made to Albert
b. FAN. ut a hotel here before The
former interior secretary misled the
oil investigators by his statement
that he had borrowed 100000 from
Edward 3. Mclean, publisher of the
Washington Post.
Resenting what he regarded as IN
situations of Senator Haf1in that lie
had aided Fall to concoct the story,
Senator Lenroot declared that
about the most despicable of hui
man beings is the assassin of char
acter." Senator Hefin retorted that
he would not think of anything
more despicable" than the visit OF
the senators to "the criminal charg-
ed under Indictment"
Called upon by Senator Lenroot,
Senator Walsh. Democrat. of Mon
tana, chief prosecutor in the inquiry
said he could see no "impropriety"
in the visit. but added that it would
have been "a happier circumstance"
If the senator's had promptly in
formed the oil committee all about
it
Another incident Of discussion was
the employment by Mclean of T.
w. Smithers, chief communications
officer at the White House. to man
the private wire the publisher had
installed between his Palm Beach
cottage and the Post building here.
Senator Dill, Democrat. Washington,
called attention to this, declared
the trail of this thing goes the
rounds of the executives offices and
it seems even his own office"
Before the senate discussion got
under way. the oil committee heard
fiat denials of several of the sensa-
tional statements made in tele-
grams sent to Mclean in Florida by
his employees in Washington.
A. Mitchell Palmer. attorney
general in the Wilson administration
who acted for time as counsel for
Mclean, told the committee he had
not asked Senator Underwood of
Alabama or any one else to bring
pressure to bear on Senator Walsh:
that he was not a partner" of J. w.
Zevely. attorney for Harry F. Sin
clair and that he was not looking
after the interests of Fall.
Through employees of the Post
and all other persons whose names
are mentioned in the kilograms the
committee tomorrow will seek to get
at the truth of other assertions in
the messages and to clear up a num-
Der of mysteries their examination
has left. including the identity of
"Apricots." Apples" Peaches"
and Cherries"
Subpoenaes for these persons
were issued tonight. They include
Francis H. McAdoo. son of William
G. McAdoo: Zevely. Francis H.
Homer. a Baltimore attorney;
Smithers. f. l.. Startling of the
White House secret service staff.
ana Z. s. Rochester. confidential
adviser to 3ttorney General Daugh-
erty.
A demand that the committee
subpoena William Boyce Thompson,
of Chicago, was made in the senate
by Senator Hefiin, who charged that
Thompson borrowed S3,5OO,0O0 in
1920. in dummy" note secured by
Sinclair oil stock or use in the
presidential campaign that year.
A broader field for inquiry will be