Evening star., 1928-03-20

considerable light on what's been going
on in the last four years"
Robinson sought to show that Sim
clair contributed heavily to Smiths
eubernatorial campaign in 1920 and
afterward became a member of the New
York State Racing Commission. hold
ing that post until after the first oil
revelations. Chairman Nye said the
oil committee had been informed that
such was the case. but added he saw no
reason for calling the New York gov
ernor. Gov Smith declined TO COM
ment when informed i'll New York of
this development
Reed Defends Smith.
Senator Reed. Democrat. Missouri.
candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton. defended Smith against what he
termed an unwarranted insinuation
Previously. he had scored Sinclair's
Sl66000 contribution and declared COM
plete rectification could be had only
by the resignation of responsible party
leaders. especially Secretary Mellon He
also condemned the silence of PreSi-
dent Coolidge.
During the entire three hours OF de-
bate, which revolved largely around
VIZ va SSAAatAA OOfd TNGUuu-
lican. Idaho, to collect from individual
Republicans a "repudiation" fund to
return to Sinclair not voice was
raised in defense of the administration
or the party's acceptance of the Sinclair
donation.
Senator Harrison. Democrat. Missis-
Sippi. who started the row with a re-
view of Will H. Hays management of
the Harding campaign. criticized Chair
man Nye for his Baltimore speech at
tacking Borah. Nye defended himself
and Borah also got into the fray de-
Tending his own course. declaring that
If the Republicans nominate a man at
Kansas City whose clothes smell of
smut. it will go to defeat"
Harrison, as well as Senator La Fol-
lette, Republican. Wisconsin brought
the name of Herbert Hoover. a candi-
date for the Republican presidential
nomination. into the argument. the for
mer declaring the Commerce Secretary
was one of three cabinet members who
attended a meeting called by Harding
TO plan how the 1920 deficit would be
raised.
Coolidge Criticized.
La Toilette, a Republican irregular.
said both Hoover and Charles e Hughes
we're 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 Sinclair gift, because it cleared
the decks for the 1924 campaign"
Robinson injected the name of the
late Franklin K Lane, Secretary of
Interior during a part of the Wilson
administration. who he said, approved
some of the first leases In the naval oil
reserves and became identified with
the Doheny interests after leaving the
cabinet
Senators johnson. Republican. Cali
fornta. and Glass. Democrat. Virginia.
the latter cabinet associate of Lane,
the deceased cabinet officer. also spoke.
Glass termed the Robinson attack
"oaStardly insinuation" and said Lane
LETT the cabinet a poor men.
When Eve demanded an explana-
ton from the Democrats Of the recent
contribution Of $4,000 to their cam
paign 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 t,Ist
as well as they did with the election
going the way ii did. Senators Glass.
Harrison and Swanson. the latter an
other Virginia Democrat. came to the
defense Of the minority side.
Hearings Resume Tomorrow.
They declared the same oil operator,
had attempted for eight years during
the Wilson administration TO lease the
reserves. but had been turned back.
Glass said Ryan's aid TO the Democrats
Always had been beyond question.
Merritt Baldwin OF Meriden, Conn
who Is said TO have been a private
secretary 10 Sinclair from 1922 To 1924
VII appear as a witness when the oil
committee resumes its hearings ton1or-
row. Wilbur w Marsh Of Waterloo
Iowa, former treasurer of the Demo-
cratic national committee, also is under
subpoena for questioning.
An investigator sent TO Washington
III. BY the ST. Louis Post -Disuatch
found that a package sent 10 Washing.
Lon, III. from Chicago by mistake
ultimately Was sent 10 Chief Justice
George e. Martin of the Court Of Ap-
peas Of the District of Columbia. who
said the details were such as TO make
MIN believe that package was one con
tanning lot Of Christmas cards which
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