Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-30
PRIMARY PROBERS
Continued from Page One)

''SHi aye WV
failed to do its duty in prohibition
enforcement.
While pursuing this line of in
quiry at brief morning session and
again tonight, the committee found
its prospective field of investigation
broadening with the filing of formal
allegations of the raising of a slush
fund for use in the North Dakota
Republican primary tomorrow.
These charges were made in writing
on behalf of Senator Nye, candidate
for denomination against L. b. Hanna,
who was campaign manager for Presi-
dent Coolidge in North Dakota in 1924
The statement asserted there were in
dications that "a huge slush fund had
been obtained through administra ton
channels of support for use in getting
out the vote in the primary tomorrow
Immediately upon the assembling of
the committee today the prohibition
subject was brought up by Senator
Pepper. who was defeated in the three
cornered senatorial race in Pennsylva-
mia. He denied emphatically he had
had anything to do with the removal
from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia of
Frederick c. Baird, prohibition admin
istrator, just before the primary. Tes-
timony before the committee has been
that after Baird left, the beer got bet
ter in the western part of the state.
Senator Pepper declared that the first
he knew of Baird's removal was when
he read it in the newspapers.
Wright followed Pepper to the
stand and Chairman Reed immediate
ly developed that some of the special
agents employed with the Women's
Christian Temperance Union fund in
Pennsylvania formerly had been in
the government prohibition unit and
some had been dismissed for the good
of the service" J. A. Tatro was one
of these, going out after Is years of
federal service. Wright said Tatro
was doing amazingly good work in
Chicago" when he was dismissed.
Wright testified that one of his "un-
der cover" men. known to the COM
mittee as Mr.. a., got into some diff
ficulties with the authorities while he
was on the Women's Christian Tenn
perance Union fund payroll in Penn
ssylvania. The witness was vague, but
said as he understood it ~ was inter
ested in garage and liquor was found
in a car there.
He was brought up and discharged
on the trial." he said.
He was charged with bootlegging
HIMSELF" asked Reed.
Not at ALL"
We'll, possession OF liquor?"
"That I cannot answer"
After Wright had said the federal
government had failed to do its duty
in Pennsylvania. Reed remarked:
And you had to get the railroad
overthrown by Gary to put in one of
the railroad employees" He referred
to Frederick c. Baird, employed by the
Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad, a SUBJ
sdiary of the United States Steel Cor
poration.
He is an excellent man." retorted
Wright.
Employed by a private company to
enforce the public laws of the COM
monwealth," Reed came back.
He did amazingly good work."
Wright insisted.
Which l rise to remark Reed said,
lis about as illegal a proposition as
has ever been presented to me in my
life. 1t is destructive of all public
government, because it becomes pri-
vate government; but l am not going
TO argue the question:,
IF YOU will give me the privilege"
said Wright. Il would like to say