The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-03-20
Oil Committee Hot on
on Trail of Missing
Bonds

Continued from page on.)
was treated to one Of the most hec-
tic partisan debates Of its career,
with more than 4 dozen senators
flinging verbal darts across the
aisles at each other. Demands were
made for the resignation Of high ad-
ministration officials, including Sec
rotary Mellon, and one senator, Rob-
inson, an Indiana. Republican, sug.
gested that Governor Smith of New
York might be able to "throw con-
siderable light on what's been going
on in the last four years"
Robinson sought show that Sin.
clair contributed heavily to Smiths
gubernatorial campaign in 1920 and
afterward became a member Of the
New York State Racing commission,
holding that post until after the
first oil revelations. Chairman Nye
said the oil committee had been in
formed that such was the case, but
added he saw no reason for calling
the New York governor. Gov.
Smith declined to comment when in
formed in New York of this develop
ment.
Reed Defends Smith
Senator Reed, Democrat, Missouri,
candidate for the presidential NOM
nation, defended Smith against
what he termed an unwarranted in
situation.
During the entire three hours ct
debate, which revolved largely
around the attempt Of Senator
Borah, Republican, Idaho, to collect
from individual Republicans "reru.
diation" fund to return to Sinclair,
not voice was raised il defense Of
the administration or the party's
acceptance Of the Sinclair donation.
Senator Harrison, Democrat, Mis-
sissippi, who started the row with
a review Of Will H. Hays manage
ment Of the Harding campaign,
criticized Chairman Nye for his
Baltimore speech attacking Borah.
Nye defended himself and Borah
also got into the fray defending his
own course, declaring that If the
Republicans nominate q man at
Kansas City whose CLOTHES smell of
smut, it will go to defeat"
Harrison, as we'll as Senator La
Toilette, Republican, Wisconsin,
brought the name of Herbert Hoov-
er, a candidate for the Republican
presidential nomination, into the ar
gumcnt, the former declaring the
commerce secretary was one Of
three members who attended q
meeting called by Harding to plan
how the 1920 deficit would be raised.
Coolidge Criticized
La Toilette, Republican irregu-
lar, said both Hoover and Charles E.
Hughes were in the cabinet when the
Sinclair contribution was made and
neither had condemned it. He also
criticized the continued silence Of
President Coolidge, who, he said,
was the chief beneficiary of the Sim
clair gift because it Cleared the
decks for the 1924 campaign"
When Nye demanded an explana-
ton from the Democrats Of the re-
cent contribution of $50, 900 to their
campaign chests by Thomas Fortune
Ryan of New York and Virginia,
with the statement that had the
Democrats been successful in the
1920 election the oil reserve leases
would have Jared just as well as
they did with the election going the
way it did, Senators Glass, Harrison
and Swanson, the latter another Vir-
ginia Democrat, came to the defense
of the minority de.
They declared the same oil opera
tors had attempted for eight years
during the Wilson administration to
lease reserves, but had been turned
back. Glass said RyaE.'s aid to the
Democrats always had been beyond
question. =