Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-18
THAT It took a hand in prohibition

the courts, but the dry leader TOOK
vigorous exception, declaring that
what the league did was to gather
the facts and present them to the
prosecuting officers with such sug-
gestions as 1t thought warranted.
Where the dry officials thought q
federal agent was being framed"
the district attorneys were so in.
formed. the witness said, but where
the evidence indicated that such an
officer had gone wrong" the league
was anxious for prosecution.
Explaining he was transferred to
Washington eight years ago from
Ohio, Mr.. Wheeler said his work as
, legislative superintendent in addi-
ton to that Of general counsel en-
compassed the effort to have enact
ed legislation favorable to the pro-
! hibition cause and to defeat wet
bills.
At the outset he said his life had
been devoted to prohibition work, on
which he embarked even before he
through college. He started out on
an expense basis only and in the
early years after he had been placed
on a salary he did not get it all be-
cause the organization frequently
had a deficit at the end of the year.
Although they had leading parts
In directing the recent wet and dry
hearings before a senate judiciary
sub committee, Senator Reed and
Mr.. Wheeler met each other today
for the first time and that before the
dry leader was called to the stand to
take the customary oath. Mr..
Wheeler was on hand early in res
ponse to a subpoena, but the COM
mittee called another witness ahead
of him.
During a. hull in the proceedings
when documentary evidence pre-
viously submitted was being sought.
Mr.. Wheeler pushed his way
through the crowd to the end OF the
committee table, where Chairman
| Reed was getting a drink of water.
Leaning across the baise-topped
table, Mr.. Wheeler said:
I'm Wheeler"
"What Wheeler" asked the chair
man.
"Of the Anti-Saloon League"
ooh, Wayne B. Wheeler. 1 am
glad to make your acquaintance,
Sir"
How long before will be called? ?"
I ooh, in a little while"
"The reason 1 ask is because l
have an engagement for 11.30 this
| morning"
IL think you had better cancel It,"
Reed said as he returned to his place
at the middle of the table. Mr.
Wheeler went back to his seat and
| was called to the stand a few minutes
| later.
Before Mr.. Wheeler was called and
again throughout the session the
committee examined witnesses dir
ectly connected with phases Of the
! Pennsylvania primary. Throughout
| the afternoon the dry leader sat in a
chair close behind the witness and
| appeared to take keen interest in
| the proceedings.
Through A. w. Brown, a reporter
of the Pittsburgh Press, the commit
tee sought to impeach the testimony
of Mayor Kline of Pittsburgh. who
denied that he made an address as
published by the Press threatening
to discharge city employees who did
not support the Pepper-Flsher
ticket.
During the afternoon the commit
tee inquired through Samuel c.
Jamison, of Pittsburgh. western
manager for the Pennsylvania Manu-
facturers' Association, as to the acti-
vities of that organization in efforts
to influence legislation in Pennsyl-
| vania.
Before the committee recessed pre-
paratory to it's successive night ses-
sion. Mr.. Wheeler was advised that
he would be recalled after dinner.
Senator Reed changed his plans,
however, when the night session
opened, and called DR.. L. d. PEBBLES,
of Parnassus, Pa. Pittsburgh SUBJ
urb. DIR. PEBBLES, who said he had
charge of the second degree in the
Klavalier of the Ku Klux Khan, said
it was general talk over eastern
Pennsylvania that 100000 was back
of the Pepper Fisher ticket" He had
no first hand information.
The witness said he had made
some speeches in the khan organiZa-
ton presenting the qualifications"
of the various primary candidates
but had made no recommendations
The Khan membership largely was
for Pinchot. he said. and in response
to Senator Reed declared Klan lead
ers had made no effort to use their
influence in behalf of Pinchot.
Charles Anderson, a Pittsburgh
labor leader, next was called but af-
ter brief questioning was dismissed
by Senator Reed with the admonition
ITO come here perfectly sober tomor-
man with his rambling testimony and
was warned he was under the pains
and penalties of perjury"
Dismissal of Anderson exhausted
the list of available witnesses pres
ent except Mr.. Wheeler, who asked
for conference with the committee,
which was held in an adjoining room.
Then Wheeler took the stand and
Reed said he was depressing from
his regular examination because the
committee understands that you are
not in the best Of health
Il am ready to go on if the COM
mittee DESIRES" Wheeler said.
Senator Reed hen read from
statement issued yesterday by Mr..
Wheeler, the concluding paragraph
of which was:
1T Is a matter of comment that
leaders of wet organizations who
doubtless can give much informal ton
about money spent inside the cam
paign committee, have not been sub
poenaed."
DO YOU mean. by that charge to
intimate that the committee has
failed to avail itself of all the facts
relative to this election"
Not at ALL" Wheeler replied.
you don't make that charge or in
timation now"
NO"
Replying to a question by Reed as
to the S3I3 l'ipS nf tho III nj ,Ie,