Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-11
CLOSE VOTE SEEN
| ON POWER INQUIRY
Both Sides Claim Victory as
Pressure on Senators
Grows Stronger.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Both sides in the fight over whether
the public utility industry shall be in
vest!gated are claiming victory today.
The power interests feel they have al
least 10 votes margin on the prospective
vote in the Senate to refer the whole
cuestion to the Federal Trade Commits
sion. while the friends Of Senator Walsh
Democrat. Of Montana admit the vote
will pe close but are confident OF nay
Ing the resolution adopted which calls
for the appointment of special lnVesu-
eating committee Of the Senate.
Senator Walsh has been advised by
so,ne of his colleagues that in all their
experience in the Senate they nave
never been subjected to such intense
pressure from back home as they are
to vote against the pending resolution.
The power interests announced SeVera.
months ago that they intended TO carry
their case back home" TO the consult
uencies of the Senate. and the way
Senators who would be expected ordi-
nsr!ly to follow Senator Walsh are 60
Ing over 70 the ranks Of the other side
is an indication of the way the battle
Is going.
The Montana Senator says frankly
that he does not believe the public
utility industry could stand a public
Investigation, and that to refer the
question to the Federal Trade Comnlls-
sion. which he understands Is the
present effort of the power companies.
would be TO bury the matter for year
or more.
Democrats Stand Revealed.
Senator George of Georgia, Demo-
crat. already has announced that he
WILL vote TO refer to the Federal Trade
Commission. and 1t Is reliably reported
that Senator Robinson of Arkansas,
Democratic leader. and Senator Pat
Harrison of Mississippi will do likewise.
Presidential politics has been brought
into the cloak room discussion, for II
Is being urged upon some OF the friends
Of Democratic candidates that II
Senator Walsh is able to get his
resolution passed he Will take the
center of the stage for several months
Just as he did in the Teapot Dome
investigation. and that such publicity
would crowd the other candidates
somewhat.
Another line of attack which has been
effective in the case of one insurgent
Republican who would ordinarily vote
with Senator Wash is that If the Mon
tana Senator become occupied with the
public utility investigation he Will side
track the present oil inquiry which 1t is
believed will lead TO greater revelations
OF a political nature than could pos
sibly be expected out of the utility In
vestigation. This same Senator is au-
thcrity for the comment that even l..
the Federal Trade Commission fails TO
bring a prompt report the Senate can
then just as well as now. pass resolu-
NJ q
proposed by Senator Walsh
Faith Held Lacking.
The Montana Senator, in appearing
before the Senate interstate commerce
committee. used excerpts from the pre-
Ininary investigation of holding COM
panies made by the Federal Trade Com
mission and when he opens the de-
bate next week he will point TO the con-
illusions drawn By the commission.
Others. like Senator Norris of Nebraska,
Commission because of a belief that
President Coolidge by the use of the
appointing power has stacked" the
commission with ultra conservatives.
will contend that the place for an in
vestlgation Is by a Senate committee
The vote will be closed and the utility
interests may spring a surprise as they
Cic when they mustered enough votes
% have the resolution held up for pre-
!iminary hearings In the first place, It
If battle OF the giants. and the indi-
-.6ual Senators accustomed 10 being
b9ttonholed IN Washington are feeling
the effects Of a pressure from their own
political lieutenantS at home. who IN
turn have been told Of the reasons Why
the power industry does not want what
Il fears viii be a political investigation
bv the Senate, welcoming on the other
hand thorough inquiry by the Federal
Trade Commission.