Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-21
Secret Agents.

-
charges that three American shipbuild-
ing companies hired william B. Shearer
to throw a monkey-wrench" into the
naval limitation conference at Geneva
in 1927 gives promise of wide ramifica-
tons. At the first hearing Of the SEN
ate subcommittee on naval affairs yes
terday C. L. Bardo, president of the
New York Shipbuilding Co., testified
that approximately $4,000 had been
paid Shearer by his company and the
others, although he vigorously denied
that Shearer had been employed by
them as lobbyist or to spread propa-
ganda against a naval limitation agree
ment. The president of the New York
Shipbuilding Co., however, brought into
the picture an expenditure Of $4,000.
which was paid out by his company, In
large part, to build up sentiment for
large American merchant marine. Some
of this money found its way into the
pockets of Mr.. Shearer.
The American shipbuilders naturally
are interested In the merchant marine.
It is to their interest that this coun-
try shall develop a large fleet Of over
seas merchant vessels. In common with
other American citizens they have the
right to urge the need for American
commerce of an American owned and
operated merchant marine. The need
of such a merchant marine, after the
object lesson presented by the situation
which arose when the World War broke
out, should be as obvious to Americans
as the sun on a cloudless day. 1t may
| be argued that the shipbuilders were
| seeking to line their own pockets
through their efforts to influence legis'
lation favorable to the merchant marine
But in this case it may also be argued
that what was to the interests Of the
shipbuilders was also to the interests OF
the country at large. They surely have
! as much right to advocate laws which
encourage shipbuilding as other in
dustrialists have to urge the passage OF
tariff laws which make possible the
growth and development Of manu-
| featuring.
The criticism which attaches to lobby
ing and propaganda lies generally Il
the secrecy with which it is sometimes
covered. When interests or persons
come into the open and say just what
they are doing and why, to influence
legislation, the country is informed and
can weigh the matter. 1t Is the insidi-
Gus, secret lobby that reacts in the END
against its own purposes, once the exist
ence of the lobby has been disclosed
The activities of the shipbuilding COM
panies in the interest of merchant ma
rine legislation, their efforts to propa-
gandize the country, were undertaken In
an effort to aid the policy of the United
States Shipping Board for a greater
American merchant marine. Mr.. Bardo
testified that his company entered into
the matter following meeting with the
board ITSELF The shipbuilding COM
panies could we'll afford the most open
discussion and publicity regarding their
efforts in the interest Of q merchant
marine.
The engagement of Mr.. Shearer, a
known advocate of q large Navy, to
represent the shipbuilding companies at
the Geneva naval limitation conference
was q secret matter. 1t might never
have been called to the attention Of the
American public but for the suit which
Shearer himself has instituted to coll
lect $250,O00 additional pay from the
shipbuilding companies. The shipbuild-
ing companies now have placed upon
themselves the burden Of proving that
Mr.. Shearer was employed merely as
an observer and reporter" Had they
announced when Mr.. Shearer went to
Geneva that he was their representa-
tive, and employed merely as an OBJ
server, the entire affair would have
been robbed of secrecy and Of the I'M
plication that he was employed foI
other purposes.
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