The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-01-25
SENATE CONFIRMS
WEST APPOINTMENT

Washington, Jan. 22.-Roy o. West
of Chicago was confirmed Monday to
be secretary of interior by the SEN
ate by an overwhelming vote after
three days of discussion of his NOM
nation in secret session.
The vote was reported as "a to q.
but there were many conflicting re-
ports on the actual number of ballots
received by West, the range being be-
tween 50 and So. The consensus of
those emerging from the smoke filled
chamber when the doors finally were
opened was that "a 10 q was the re-
suit. Only a majority was necessary.
Republican Independents who OPP
posed the nominee because of his pre-
vious connections with the Samuel IT.
sull power utility interests, made a
determined last minute effort to have
the proceedings, including the roll call
and the committee reports, made pub
lie. But they failed by close votes.
Senators Deneen and Glenn, repub-
licans of Illinois, who conducted the
case for West before the senate, clos
ed the argument Monday after Sena-
tors Blaine of Wisconsin and Nye of
North Dakota had made another as
sault.
Appointed last August by President
Coolidge to succeed Secretary Work
when he became chairman of the re-
publican national committee, Mr..
Vests nomination was sent to the
senate early in December. He appear
ed at opening hearings before the
senate lands committee and received
a vote of to for confirmation.
A number of democrats joined with
the republican majority in the vote
for confiration. Senator Deneen re-
called the testimony of West before
, the lands committee that the nominee
had sold his investments in the Insult
companies at the time he was appoint
ed to the cabinet, He said that over
period of &c years West had invest
ed $4,000 in the insult stocks which
were sold for about S118,000.
West Testifies
! Testifying before the lands commit
tee West said that his law bushes
/ for the insult companies had been on
ly of casual nature.
n Senator Norris of Nebraska was on
Y of those leading the spirited attach
Complaint was registered against tn
action of West in participating as
member of the federal power com
! mission in the hearing on a petitio
: by the Cumberland Hydro-Electri
i company, a subsidiary of the Insu
companies, for a license to deyele
! power at Cumberland Falls, Ky.
i On behalf of West it was recalle
y that he had consented to withdra
from participation in any cases con
ing before his department involvir
the insult companies.
Another Row
The final efforts to get the who
q proceedings into the open provok
~ another of the many rows the sena
frequently INDUCES in over how co
es tested executive nominations are
en- be considered, but the two-thirds ne
ily essary to break the practice of secre
in the consideration of nom1natio
was not available.
ry After the vote on confirmation t,
IN other votes were taken before t
ne doros were opeend. The first was
'ar whether the roll call on the West no
ination should be made public. II
lily failed. The second was on a mott
IN to make public the majority and
The nority reports of the land commit
me Although the hearings before /
ex- committee were public and the ties
ior mony was published the senate sta
the firm against publication of the
ky ports.
Id