Evening star., 1926-12-06
Montanan Asks Investigation
of Charges Maine Senator
Bribed Canadian Official.
LARGE CROWDS PRESENT
AS NEW TERM BEGINS
Galleries Packed With Visitors as
Old Acquaintancss Are Re-
newed on Floors.

The SiXty.ninth Congress entered
fts last lap at noon today.
In the Senate the fireworks de-
velopcd almost Immediately, interrupt
ing what was expected to he a quiet
and routine opening session. An
attack Oil the new Senator from
Maine. Arthur Il. Gould. Republican,
was launched by Senator Walsh OF
Montana. Democrat. Senator Walsh
presented a resolution, while Senator
Gould stood at the desk waiting to be
sworn in, requesting the committee
on privileges and elections to investi-
gate charges made by a Canadian
judge that Senator Gould several
wears ago had bribed with 100000 a
former premier of the province OF
New Brunswick.
Senator Walsh pressed for action on
his resolution Immediately. Senator
Moses of New Hampshire, Republican,
promptly made the point that under
the rules of the Senate the resolution
must lie over until tomorrow.
Gould Is Sworn In.
That ended the incident for today.
Senator Gould was sworn in along
with other newly elected Senators.
he w dlSn ItSOiullOH dShiil6 Aol OH
investigation of Senator Gould will be
adopted, it was predicted by Senator
Moses after the Senate had adjourned
today.
1T will not be adopted without some
debate, however" commented Senator
Moses. 'As I understand it there will
be no opposition to an investigation.
Senator Gould, ! am sure, will have
none The charges were made during
the campaign in Maine, and Senator
Gould replied to them at that time"
Senator Walsh said that he would
press for action on his resolution to-
morrow. If the resolution be adopted
as ii Is expected. the committee on
privileges and elections will investi-
gate the charges and determine what
course shall be followed. Senator
Walsh pointed out that under the
terms of the Constitution, the Senate
is the judge of the qualifications of
its members, but that there has been
q difference Of opinion among Sena-
tors as to how far the Senate
might go.
Qualifications for Senator.
The qualifications Of the Senator
as specified in the Constitution are
that he must be a citizen Of the
United States, must have resided in
the United States for at least nine
years, and must be so years of age.
Some Senators have held that the
Senate could not inquire into other
qualifications than these. Other Sen
ators have insisted that the Senate
could properly inquire into other
qualifications of a new Senator pre-
senting himself.
The committee, also, should it find
ha1 n
determine whether it would seek to
reject him on his qualifications" or
would seek to eXpel him. To reject
him as not being qualified, in the
opinion of Senator Walsh, would re-
duire only a majority vote. To expel
him, on the other hand, under the
terms Of the Constitution would re-
quire a two-thirds vote.
Senator Walsh's resolution took
Republicans and Democrats alike by
surprise. Only a few Senators had
been acquainted with the fact that
he proposed to offer the resolution.
Some of those who knew of it had
understood that 1t was to be offered
tomorrow and not before Senator
Gould took the oath of office.
In some quarters the introduction
of the Walsh resolution was interpre-
ted as determination on the part of
Democratic Senators to keep alive the
sluSh fund and corruption issue which
they haXe raised against a number
of Republican candidates for the
Senate.
In both houses today newly elected
members took the oath of office, after
quorums had been developed. Com
mitteeS were appointed to wait on the
President 10 inform him that Congress
Ix- fA,- lN,,s,t n,,I taI
any communications he had to make.
After transacting this business the
Senate adjourned out of respect to
the memory of the late Senators Cum
Minis of Iowa and Fernald of Maine.
The galleries of both Senate and
House were crowded with visitors.
anxious to see the opening of the
session.
President Coolidges annual mes.
sage 10 Congress. including his rec
ommenda tons for legislation. will be
transmitted tomorrow, and on We'd
nesday lie will send to the Capitol his
budget message and the accompany
ing budget for the fiscal year 1928.
The messages will be read to Senate
and House by their clerks.
The House is prepared to go ahead
this week with the first of the annurl
appropriation bills to come from the
committee on appropriations, the Post
Office and Treasury bin. The Senate
may get to work on Muscle Shoals.
beginning tomorrow. If this measure
is not taken UP. then bill to estab-
lish new bureau. a Bureau of Pro
hib!tion Enforcement, may be called
up for consideration, or the Geneva
gas protocol, in executive session of
the Senate. The American Legion is
fighting this protocol actively. AMI its
acceptance by the United States.
The Senate gallery was practically
filled when Vice President Dawes
brought down his savel promptly at
noon. The hum Of whispered conver-
sation which had been going on came