Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
S. E. ThomasOn, Co-owner in
Southern String of Papers,
Also Summoned.
TWO POWER OFFICIALS
WILL BE QUESTIONED
Consulting Engineer for Utilities
Tells Of Articles Opposing Gov
ernment Ownership.
BY the Associa ted Press.

BY Cne Associated PreSS.
Frank E. Gannett of Rochester, N.
Y, newspaper publisher, and S. E.
Thomason, co-owner of tine Bryan
Thomson Newspapers, Inc, owners of
newspapers, were scheduled Yesterday
by the Federal Trade Commission to
appear before it Wednesday in connec-
ton with its investigation into the
newspaper financial interests of the
International Paper 81 Power Co.
The commission also announced that
Frank d. Comerford of Boston, vice
president OF the International Paper q
Power Co, and N. C. Head of New
York, vice president and assistant to
the president OF that company. would
appear at hearings to be held May 16
and II.
Testimony by Archibald r. Graustein,
president of the International Co. be-
tore the commission April 80 developed
that his concern had total of $2,700.-
900 III notes and stock of four news
papers owned and operated by MI.
Gannett.
Subsequently, May 4. Mr.. Gannett
announced IN New York that he had
bought back the entire holdings from
the international Paper u Power Co.
and had given u check to that company
to retire all the cOmpany'S Investments
bany IN W Knickerb0cker Press and
the Albany News and the Ithaca IN.
W Journal News.
Purchases Ia Chicago.
MIR. Graustein also testified IN his
appearance before the commission that
the International Co had bought ST.
900 900 in debenture bonds and $780,
900 OF preferred stock of the Bryan
ThOmason Newspapers, 1nc.s owners OF
the Chicago Journal, and 1O,O shares
of common stock III the Chicago Jour-
nal for which no additional money was
paid.
Tllomason NewSpa perS Inc. owns al
most all OF the stock Of the Tampa,
Fla. Tribune Co.. which owns tle
Tampa Tribune" and owns almost ali
of the stock Of the Record Co, which
publishes the Greensboro Record at
Greensboro, N. c."
The commission yesterday continued
its inquiry into the general phases OF
the publicity activities Of the pubic
power utilities, hearing Samuel 8. Wyer
of Columbus, Ohio. He described him
self as 4 consulting engineer for pub
lie utilities.
Wyer was questioned principally
about his publication of two mono
graphs under auspices OF the Smith
Sonian Institution which opposed the
Government ownership OF electric power
projects.
Wyer testified that he had secured
material for the two articles bearing ttle
imprint OF the Smithsonian while he
was being paid by private utility M-
terests. One related. he said, TO e!e
government owned hydro Oaectr1c
project Of the Province Of Ontario IN
Canada and the other was On ttle re-
sources of Pennsylvania, with special
attention to power possibilities ia that
State.
Third Pamphlet Proposed.
A third pamphlet based Oh survey
of the Muscle Shoals project Ia Ala
barns was proposed by the Smithsonian,
Wyer tektinea, but it was never pub
lished, as its plans were upset after .
cub reporter" III Chattan0oGa, Tenn,
had prenaturely published story re-
yealiIlg that the survey was To be made.
On first being approached about the
Muscle Shoals study by the Smith
sonian early in 1925, Wyer said lac had
suggested 1t would be extremely uhf1eult
to obtain all the facts about the project
from the Army engineers III charge.
Subsequently he was informed by the
late Chauncey d. Walc0tt, then Secre-
tary of the Smithsonian. he added, that
the latter had discussed the subject
with "the President" who had promised
to permit the engineers to cooperate
But the cub reporter who did not
know newspaper ethics" Wyer said.
upset the plan by publishing the story
of q conference between myself and the
district Army engineer after lac had
overheard our conversation"
The Smithsonian then refused To
sponsor the survey, he added. and it was
later f1nanced by the DuQuesne Light II
Power Co. OF Pittsburgh. Pa, for which
he had made other studies.