Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-16
OPENS
SUGAR LOBBY QUIZ
Secretary of Association
Asked of His Activities in
Tariff Bill Hearings.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The sugar lobby in Washington oc-
cupied the attention Of the Senate lobby
investigating committee today.
H. N. Austin, secretary and treasurer
of the United States Beet Sugar Asso-
ciation, was, the first witness called in
this phase of the committees irves.i-
CATION, 1t is the purpose of the COM
mittee to question both the supporters
and opponents Of increased duties on
sugar proposed in the pending tariff
bill. Members of Congress have been
deluged with literature on both sides
of the question and representatives OF
the sugar industry have been active on
Capitol Hill, interviewing many mem
bers of the Senate and House. The
committee is seeking to learn the source
OF the funds of these lobbies and how
they have been expended.
The employment of Charles L. cyan
son. connected with the Connecticut
Manufacturers Association, by Senator
Bingham Of Connecticut, Republican
member of the finance committee, to as
stst him while he was engaged In help
ing to draft the tariff bIll is to be in
ouired into by the Senate committee.
The president Of the Connecticut as
sociation, e. K. Hubbard, and Robert Q.
Buell., secretary and treasurer. have been
asked to appear. The committee wants NJ
to know whether EyanSon was on the
tpky roll of the manufacturers associa-
ton at the same time ne was employed
I hi Senator H5nghaFl1.
Koch Back on Stand.
Frederick L. Koch, Tariff Commits
sion expert, who yesterday testified that
EFFORTS had been made by pottery in
terestS to have him removed because
of +'nis attitude toward the industry"
when the tariff bill was under consid-
Grafton by the House ways and means
committee and the Senate finance
committee, was recalled to the stand at
the opening of the investigation today.
Senator Walsh of Montana sought to
obtain from the witness further infor-
nation regarding the reported appear
ance of William Burgess, tariff adviser
Of the United States Pottery AsSocia-
ton, and former member OF the Tarih
Commission, before Chairman Marvin
Of the Tariff Commission in opposition
to Koch.
The witness, however. was unable to
throw any additional light on the mat
ter. Senator Walsh was particularly
curious about what happened after
Koch'S appearance at a secret session
of the subcommittee of the House ways
and means committee. Senator Cara
way, chairman of the investigating COM
mittee, asked Koch to put into the rec
ord the names of all those present at
that secret meeting. The witness called
attention to the fact that he had been
under oath not to reveal what happened
before the subcommittee, but expressed
the opinion that he could give that in
formation. Senator Caraway, however,
withdrew the question. The Subcom-
mittee of the ways and means commit
tee, which had charge Of the earthen-
ware schedule, was composed OF Repre-
sentatives Watson of Pennsylvania,
Bachrach of New Jersey and Timber
lake Of Colorado.
Tells Of Earnings.
| H. N. Austin, secretary and treasurer
of the United States Beet Sugar Asso-
citation, was the next witness. In reply
to questions he told the committee that
he had been eleven years in the en-
ploy of the Beet Sugar Association, that
his salary was $4,000 q year, and that
before he went with the Beet Sugar
Association he had been a clerk in the
War College here at $1,400 to $1,000.
Prior to that, he said, he had been a
stenographer to Senator William D. Al
len of Nebraska and secretary to
Representative Robinson of Nebraska.
He first went to the Beet Sugar ASso-
ciation as clerk and his salary has
gradually been increased, he said, up
to the present figure.
Mr.. Austin said that one of his
duties was to get out statistical serv-
ice of the sugar industry, showing the
acreage production and so forth, in all
parts of the world. This service, he
said, was particularly for the benefit
of the members Of the association, but
1t also had subscribers in all parts Of
the world, Is sent to agricultural coll
leges, newspapers, libraries and mem
bers of Congress.
IT don't know whether they read it
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