Evening star., 1926-05-20
CULBERTSON HOLDS
LOBBYING IS FAIR
Should Be Recognized by
Congressional Committees.
He Tells ProberS.
BY the Associated Press.

Lobbyists have q place il AI0'r....'
life and should be recognized, Nilja4I
:. Culhertson. former tariff coHiH--
sioner. said today before the spcC.a.
Senate tariff investigating committee.
These agencies, active urder boz
Republican and Democratic admin;
tratiOns have 4 definite duty t0 pe!
form ana should be permitted to pre-
sent their views" he said. IF tlc'
were recognized and allotted tim" 80
appear before committees i'm legIi.
mate way. the present butt0nh"."
methods would diSappear Great .t
dustricS. like the sugar and steel lH
dustrieS, as an example, have rieh.
to present their arguments.
Praises Smoot's Worh.
lie praised the activities OF Chair
man Smoot of the Senate finance com
tee, in tariff making as exercising
nodelating influence. He said he
found him opposed - what he con
sidared the three greatest tariff evils
discriminatory policy. dye cmbarg9
and American valuation.
The fight over the tariff policy was
within the Republican party, the wit
ness asserted. When the commission
adopted ~ March. 1879. a resolution
calling f4- invr -tigatIOUs Of q uUinbol
OF commodities on u" commission
own initiative. without having applies
tiOus for Investigations, hc declared
President Harding called Rim al hi
home over the teIephnn" and "Xpre-~
Cd concern over the resolution.
At the Presidents request. he sale.
the commission held up the invest
cations ANA later the whole COZ.
mission discussed the policy with the
President II was agreed that u"
commission could 20 ahead with il
vestigutiOns approved by the Pres
dent
How did information about the
commission resolution become
public?' asked Senator La Toilette
Republican. Wisconsin,
Mr.. Culbertson said probably some
Of the President political friends had
advised him Of the resolution.
A surprise was sprung 1T vester,
days session OF the special Senate
tariff committee when Mr.. Culher;
son was confronted with letter he
had written to Commissioner Cost
gan last July criticizing the policies
OF the President In his testimonE
earlier in the day Mr. Culbertson had
defended the President in his reIa
tions with the Tariff Commission
The letter. written on legation STA
tionery at Bucharest and dealing with
the appointment Of Edgar J.. Erossard
TO the Tariff Commission. said Culber'
son would feel fully justified in leay-
ing the commission IF this appoint
ment is to be regarded as Il revelation
Of the Presidents policy
Expressed Surprise at Act.
II did not suppose Coolidge would
DO the thing so rawly. if he did it al
n IL IL ~
suspicious were correct, and Bros
sard has been playing with tho sugar
lobby and now ne has his reward. ]
can imagine the effect on the staff.
They must feel that honesty is not
the best policy
The letter concluded with more
power TO your arm in the fight you
are in. Affectionately yours
Mr.. Cubertson plainly was vexed
over the Introduction Of the letter by
Senator La Toilette. Republican, Wis
consin. a member Of the committee.
He declared il was Il personal and
private communication to an intimate
friend and was never intended TO be
used as Il public document.
Explaining that he mad forgotten
The letter. Mr.. CulbertSon charged
Commissioner Costigan had made i'm
proper Use of his private papers
| without his consent, and added thai
| his documents We're used by Senator
Norris. Republican. Nebraska, H.
speeches without his knowledge o.
consent and wrong constructions We're
| placed on them.
! During the testimony Commissioner
| CostiCan several times held whispered
| conversations with Senator Robinson
| Democrat, Arkansas. chairman OF the
| committee. and spent most Of the time
| pacing back and forth in the rear o.
! the room.
My point is that Commissioner
! Costigan should have given his own
! testimony and allowed me to make
mine" Mr.. Culbertson continued. 'All
| this has gone on without any com
| munication with me. l am willing to
| help clear up the situation on the
| commission, but l don't see why II
cannot be done without developing
it into a political fight"