Evening star., 1926-12-07
Resolution Offered by Walsh
Adopted, 70 to 7-Senator
Welcomes Inquiry.
NOTHING TO WORRY HIM,
SAYS MAINE MEMBER
Matter Thoroughly Discussed and
Disposed Of at Recent Elec-
tion, He Declares.

BY a vote of 70 to z, the Senate
this afternoon adopted the resolution
Of Senator Walsh, Democrat, of Mon
tana, directing the committee on
privileges and elections sto investigate
newly elected Senator from Maine,
Arthur r. Gould, Republican, in the
recent election in that State.
Earlier in the afternoon, Senator
Curtis, the. majority leader, had an
nounced that he would move to refer
the resolution of Senator Walsh to a
committee before acting on it..
Later Senator Gould himself, in
a brief statement from the floor OF
the Senate, declared he had no OBJ
lection to the proposed investigation
and Senator Curtis declared he would
not seek to have it studied by a
committee.
Gould Makes Statement.
After the author Of the resolution,
Senator Walsh, had spoken at length
on precedents for such an inquiry,
the newly elected Senator from Maine
arose and said:
II have no objection to this resolu-
ton. There is nothing in the subject
matter Of it which will embarrass me,
or from which I should shrink. The
matter referred to was thoroughly
discussed in our election and I feel I
was sufficiently vindicated by the
voters Of my State. But if the Senate
prefers to make another investigation
1t will please me, because 1 believe 1
will then be further vindicated."
The substance of the charge made
during the campaign in Maine and
mentioned in the Walsh resolution
was that Senator Gould was connect
ed with the payment of a large sum
Of money as bribe to a former
Canadian official in connection with
the construction Of a railroad in that
section of the country.
Defended by Hale.
Senator Hale, Republican,, and col
league Of Senator Gould from Maine,
told the Senate that there Is nothing
new IN the subject matter Of the
Walsh resolution, pointing out that
Mr.. Gould had answered the charge
and that the State Of Maine has
given it's verdict by electing him.
Senator Hale declared the transac-
ton referred to is more than 13
years old.
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho,
said he intended to vote for the resolu-
ton of inquiry, but that he did not
want it understood that he thought
the vote Of the people of Maine de-
cided tho question of whether the
Senate could pass on the qualifications
Of its members.
Senator David Reed, Republican, of
Pennsylvania, asserted that he an
tended to vote against the resolution
Of inquiry in spite of the statement
of Senator Gould himself, because, II
don't believe the Senate has jurisdic-
ton or that he can give the Senate
jurisdiction to inquire into an offense
that is supposed to have occurred long
before his election"
Denies Political Bias.
Senator Walsh, in offering his res
olution, denied that there Is any po-
litical significance attached to the
resolution Of inquiry. He said that if
the resolution should lead eventually
to the exclusion Of the Senator from
Maine sit does not follow that his
opponent in the recent election would
be seated. Indeed that question Is en-
tirely disassociated from the resolu-
ton"
Senator Walsh said that he hoped
the character of his resolution would
be understood, explaining that it
simply directs the committee on priv
ileges and elections to investigate and
report whether there is anything the
Senate can do or ought to do with
regard to the matter.
Senator Walsh said he did not pro-
pose at this time to debate the sound
ness or the unsoundness of the vari-
Gus schools Of thought that exist. as
to how far the Senate has a right to
go in inQuir1ng into the qualifications
of it's members.
1.-The only question before us at this
time is whether we should do any
thing about this matter at ALL" said
Senator Walsh.
Before the debate on the Gould
charges began Sentaor Borah, chair
man Of the foreign relations commit.
tee, announced that he would en-
deavor to call up the poison gas
treaty tomorrow and that he would
prefer to have 1t considered in open
executive session if the Senate will
support him in the move.