Evening star., 1927-03-10
REED SLUSH PROBE
future IN DOUBT
KeyeS' Action in Withholding
Funds Places Course of
Inquiry in Uncertainty.

ACTIVE work by the Reed SIuSh
fund committe during the recess OF
Congress is In doubt, because of the
refusal of funds for the use OF that
committee. With Chairman Reed
still in Detroit, no plans for further
procedure by the investigating COM
mittee have been made.
If Senator Keyes of New Hamp-
audit and control of the contingent
fund of the Senate. finally decides he
will sign no more vouchers for eX
penses of the committee incurred
since March 4, then the committee
may find it impossible to function
effectively. Senator Keyes said to-
day that until he was convinced the
Reed committee had not died with
the close of the Congress. he would
not feel at liberty to sign vouchers
for new expenditures.
Many Meet Soon.
When Senator Reed of Missouri
left Washington, it was with the
understanding that the investigating
committee would reassemble, prob
ably March 20. and at that time
determine its future COURSE The
committee has ordered the sergeant
alarms of the Senate, David S.
Barry. to impound the ballot boxes
m four Pennsylvania counties. Della
ware, Lackawanna. Schuylkill and
Luzerne. These are in addition TO
the ballots already impounded in
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
The committee, at the request Of
the sergeant-at-arms, asked the dis
bursing officer of the Senate TO
advance $1,000 to Mr. Barry to under
take the work of collecting the ballot
boxes in the four counties, some 500
or 900 in number. The disbursing
officer, it then transpired. had been
informed by Senator Keyes that he
was not willing to sign vouchers for
further expenditures for the Reed
committee until he had been convinced
that the committee had not died with
the close of the Congress. March 4.
Did Not FiIibuster.
Senator Keyes took no part in the
filibuster against the Reed resolution
during the last days of Congress. He
explained today, however. that he con-
sidered it his duty to protect the con-
tingent fund of the Senate, of which
he is the custodian by virtue of his
chairmanship of the committee on
audit and control of that fund.
THE Reed committee could have
impounded the ballots no wsought in
four counties of Pennsylvania before
March A." said Senator Keyes. He
said that he was inclined to the view
that the Reed committee expired with
the end of Congress. The precedents
of the Senate with regard to special
committees were along that line.
Senator Keyes said further that the
last word of the Senate with regard
to the Pennsylvania senatorial election
contest had been to refer the formal
demand for such a contest to the conn.,
mittee on privileges and elections,
and not to the Reed committee. That
was done on March 4.
Need Over $1,000.
There is a rule of the Senate which
permits the secretary of the Senate,
under whom the disbursing officer
comes, to advance not to exceed 81, 900
during the recess of Congress for
special needs, particularly in the case
of expenses of funerals of Senators
who die when Congress is not in
session. When Mr.. Barry asked for
81 900 to begin the work of impounding
the ballots in the four counties of
Pennsylvania, the matter was then
F., arried to Senator KeyeS, who hap
pened to be still in Washington. 1t
was conceded that probably much
more than $1,000 would be needed to
complete the work of impoundinG the
ballots.
Only two members of the Reed COM
mittee are now in Washington, Sena-
tors McNary of Oregon and La Fol-
lette of Wisconsin. Senator King of
Utah has gone to Porto Rico and
Senator Golf is in West Virginia.
Senator La Toilette said today he
could see no reason why the work of
the committee should be held up dur
ing the next six or eight months, or
until Congress should reconvene. Once
the Senate has returned, Senator La
Toilette predicted, it would give the
Reed committee full authority.
Insist Senate Continuing.
Originally $65.OOO was the sum
for the use of the investi-
eating committee. A considerable
portion of this sum has not been used,
it was said at Senator Reeds Office
today, and would be available for the
future work of the committee.
The opponents of the Reed commit
tee, both during the filibuster against
the Reed resolution in the Senate and
after the adjournment of Congress,
have taken the view that the Reed
died with the end of the
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