Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-01
HOOVER MENTIONED
At LOBBY HEARING
President of Growers Writes
He Is "StiIl in Line" and
"Can Deliver"

President Hoover's name was brought
into the Senate lobby investigation to-
day when letter was read by Senator
Walsh of Montana written by G. $
Fletcher. president of the Florida East
Coast Growers Association. to J. A.
Arnold. vice president and Washington
agent of the Southern Tariff Associa-
ton.
Both Mr.. Arnold and Mr.. Fletcher
have been working for protective tariff
duties on Southern farm products.
IF things come to where they are
rocking up there" wrote Mr.. Fletcher,
II will come up and see my friend Hoo
yer again and make them all be good
as am in receipt of nice letter from
the White House showing that ] am
still in line"
Mr.. Fletcher also said in the same
letter that he thought he would be
able ito deliver" Senator Fletcher's
vote in favor of protective tariff rates
because there never was a man in
Washington who has had a larger or
hotter FIRE built under him than Sem
ator Fletcher"
Politicians "BFagging."
When the letter was read, Mr.. Arnold
was on the witness stand. He said, re-
plying to questions by Senator Walsh,
that the letter was merely q local poli-
ticians Dragging,
A determined effort Of the Southern
Tariff Association to influence Southern
and Western Senators to vote for the
flexible provision in the tarid bill In
exchange for high agricultural rates
was revealed to the committee today.
The tariff association. it was dis
closed in more than 80 letters written
by Arnold, its manager, used every In
fiuence at its command. including funds
collected from railroads, to prevail on
Senators to agree to Its position.
Senators from Florida, Georgia, Ala
bama and Mississippi were named In
these letters read into the committed
record as members Of Congress whom
Arnold and his associates determined tc
influence.
In a letter to Senator Watson, the
Republican leader, Arnold wrote on Sep
tember 16 as follows:
Letter to Watson.
Confirming our conversation this
morning concerning protective tariff
sentiment III Tic 0OuJH.
I'VE suggest that you and Senator
Thomas call together the farm group
that submitted the agricultural rates
and If consistent. say to them that you
are willing to help them on vegetable
oil and long staple cotton. but that
you also want them to help you get
votes for the bill as a whole out OF
the vegetable oil and staple cotton
bills of the South.
I'm Alabama and Georgia the senti-
ment is largely for protection" the let
ter said, "and can be SO assembled and
expressed that the Senator who votes
against the bill will do so with the con-
viction that he is misrepresenting his
constituents. Think we can get one
vote at least out of these two States"
Sharp and contentious verbal clashes
and a warning against criminal prose-
cution" and perjury" marked the ses-
sion Of the Senate lobby-investigating
committee today.
Witness Evasive.
At one point Senator Blaine Of Wis
consin, after questioning Mr.. Arnold
about letter in which he said he had
pledged" a permanent protective tariff
sentiment in the South If Southern ag-
ricultural products were given protective
rates, charged the witness with making
an eVaSive answer.
II have observed, in my trial of case,
IN court" said Senator Blaine, that 8
! witness who doesn't want to tell thu
truth is always voluble in explanations
| I warn you that you are under oatf
and you may subject yourself to Grim
inal prosecution"
| A little later Senator Walsh o
Montana after questioning Mr.. Arnolc
! about statement issued by the witness
| during the Summer. purporting to give
rates in the unfinished tariff bill. ques
toned the correctness Of Mr.. Arnold's
| answers.
Perhaps you do not know" declared
Senator Walsh. that perjury consist
in saying a thing is fact that tn
| witness does not know to be fact a!
we'll as stating an untruth."
Mr.. Arnold was grilled for two hour
and a half by the committee. He re
peatedly stated that he was giving al
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