Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-10
SHEARER TO GIVE
COMMITTEE DATA
Confidential U. S. Navy File
Is Cited by Him as In
formation Source.

NEW YORK, September 10 R.-A
confidential file of the intelligence serv-
ice of the United States Navy, sent to
him anonymously from Washington. was
the source of information he gave the
press at the Geneva arms limitation
conferences in 1926 and 1927, William
B. Shearer, big-naVy advocate, declared
yesterday.
Shearer said he expected to go to
Washington tonight to appear before
the Senate naval affairs committee
which meets today to consider Senator
Borah's suggestion that it investigate
Shearer's activities at Geneva. Senator
Borah's suggestion was followed by
President Hoover's request for an in
vestigation by the Attorney General.
And I shall take that file with me
to show to the committee" he added.
Confined Actions to Press.
Shearer also said that his activities
at Geneva, both in 1926 and 1927, were
confined exclusively to the press, and
that he had no dealings whatsoever with
any participants in the conference.
Il never met any of the participants
as lobbyist or tried to influence them"
he declared. Il was not directly inter-
ested in what they were doing. What /
went over for was to see that the fig
ures and facts got into the papers"
The Navy file, he said, contained fig
ures and other data to show the COM
parative strength of all the navies in
the world AID the strength, condition
and needs of the United States Navy.
WAS it a secret fle?" he was asked
mot exactly secret, perhaps" he re-
Piled, but certainly confidential.
Denies Pointing to AdmiraIs.
Tya
and marked, United States Navy off,
cial business" the file was mailed to him
at the Hotel GroSvenor, New York City.
he said, just before be sailed for Europe
in 1926 to attend the Geneva confer
ence. He said he did not know who
sent 1t.
Shearer made his statements after
denying he had ever in any public
statement given as the sources of his
information four American admirals.
He also denied news dispatch quot
ing several London newspapers as say
ing he had been barred from Great
cording to the London dispatches, nc
applied for visa to visit the country,
was refused. and then appealed in vain
to Prime Minister Macdonald.
IT have not even applied for pass
port in Washington, let alone applying
for a British VISA" he said.
Because I was informed at Geneva
in 1927 that it would be advisable for
me never to put my foot on British
territory owing to my activities in is
sues of national defense for my own
country. I wrote to the British prime
minister asking that. if I should visit
England. be accorded the same cour-
tesy that is extended to British SUBJ
ject visiting our country.
81 did so because anticipated that
the pending naval conference would be
held In London. If it was, wanted to
go. And 1 did not expect to go unless
it was. have not yet made any formal
application for permission to visit Eng
land.
Receipt of Message Acknowledged.
"In reply to my letter to the prime
minister. received a brief and formal
note from the British foreign office
courteously acknowledging its receipt
and. stating it had been turned over to
the prime minister.
And that's all I've heard from the
British government. If I am barred
from their country, they have not in
formed me.
Let me add that I greatly admire
the British attitude on nationalism-
that any one who doesn't agree with
them is barred by the press. There
seems to be somewhat of leak in the
British foreign Office that should be
investigated"
Shearer, who is head of a marine
fuel and paint company, said he at
tended the 1926 Geneva conference at
his own expense, simply because he was
interested in seeing our own Navy get
a break"
When he went back in 1927, he said,
he was on the pay rool of the three big
shipbuilding concerns he now is suing
for more than 100000 in back salary.
Il was on their pay roll, but was not
hired for that job specifically" he de-
clared.
Shearer's suit here against the New
port News Shipbuilding & Drydock
Co., the American Brown-Bovieri Elec-
trical Co. and the Bethlehem Ship
building Corporation attracted the at
tention of President Hoover and re-
suited in his request for an investi-
cation.