Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-01

to send him to Boston to work for
the interest Of the Republicans.
There had been some talk about the
Republican candidates being pro- Brit
ish," said Shearer. He said that Sena-
tor Moses of New Hampshire, Repre-
sentative Bacon and Archer had been
consulted about his going to Boston
to work with the irish there.
He said that the Republican national
committeeman, Louis K. Liggett, in
Boston, was notified and that he went
to see Liggett and his publicity man
and discussed publicity. Shearer testi-
the newspapers in Boston, Republican
and Democratic, and discussed with
them publicity looking to the building
up of the Navy and merchant marine.
He said they were interested because
ships were built at Boston and near
Boston.
I'm not a lobbyist" said Shearer, IT
merely submit facts and let others de.
eide where to build the ships"
The witness said that he had been
told DR.. Wellesley Hills, one of the Re-
publican campaign speakers, that II
merely was getting the Irish inter-
ested."
Admits Anti British Work.
Shearer frankly admitted that his
campaign material was anti-British
propaganda. "Pro-American. I'd call
it," he said.
Senator Robinson's examination then
took another slant. He asked Shearer
when was the first time he had made
the public announcement of his en-
ployment by the shipping concern.
When Wilder told him Of the Kellogg
matter, he said, he went to Assistant
Secretary of the Navy Robinson and
told him: THE blow has fallen. At
last I'm going to work"
You meant openly?" queried Senator
! Robinson.
"Oh, yes" Shearer replied. Hereto
fore my work was always a mystery"
The Arkansas Senator questioned the
witness about Laird w. Archer, to whom
he had referred. Shearer said this man
was a representative of Senator Allen.
who then was head Of the Republican
| publicity during the campaign.
| He told the committee that he had
visited Allen in New York City during
the campaign and was received very
! graciouSly."
| you ought to be out making speeches"
Allen Claims 1t Was In Derision.
| This sally by the witness produced
general laughter. Later, when Senator
Allen was cross-examining the witness.
ne told Shearer he meant 1t only de-
risively, and that he had no desire
for him to make any speeches.
Referring to Shearer'S discharge by
| the shipping interests. Robinson tried
to pin the witness down to the date.
Shearer launched into rapid-fire dis
cusSion of talks with Allen and said the
shipping officials had engaged him to
do work on the new merchant marine
bill. Robinson asked again about the
date of Shearer'S discharge and Shearer
said it was March 10, 1929.
The witness said that Allen mad
given him letters from Senator Fletcher
os Florida to a Capt. Smith a marine
expert, to guide him in writing new
merchantmarine bill.
After his discharge, Shearer said he
had been given no other employment by
the shipping council, and has none now.
Senator Robinson wanted to know
whether the Assistant Secretary OF the
Navy understood what he meant by
going to work"
Il told him l was going to work OPEN
ly," Shearer said.
Says He Was Blacklisted.
Asked II the naval official had known
he had been working secretly before for
a year, Shearer replied, Sure"
During q discussion with Senator
Robinson about his feeling over his dis
charge Shearer said his former en-
everything they could to discredit him.
"Once you get on the blacklist there's
no chance for you In any business, he
said bitterly.
Senator Shortridge demanded that
the witness prepare statement show
ing money he had received before going
to the Geneva conference, amounts re-
ceived under that agreement at Geneva,
amounts under the so-called employ
ment by Wilder and sums received from
other sources after the Geneva confer
ence.
Shearer produced another record.
statement showing he had received SSH
230 from November, 1926, to January l,
1929. These receipts of cnecks from the
three shipping concerns were from
Hunter, Palen and Flock
A controversy arose over a 50 500 loan
from Palen and Shortridge wanted to
know why Shearer had given promis-
sorry note in return for payment OF his
services.
Shearer insisted that Palen was to be
reimbursed after he received his regu-
lar pay from the shipping companies.
and when he learned he was not to be
paid got the money from his company.
He protected himself by hanging 1t
on the company" Shearer explained.
Senator Shortridge characterized that
as what we call high finance"
During the discussion that followed,
Shearer again brought up the matter of
his discharge at the time of the Kellogg
protest and said: "They fired me to
save the star of Bethlehem"
Shortridge denounced this as an at
tempt to "defoul the mans reputation"
He insisted, and Shearer admitted, that
he knew nothing personally Of the KEEL
logg matter, except from hearsay.
Shortridge Defends His Actions.
The committee chairman also de-
Tended himself from criticisms of not
giving the witness a fair play and at
one point, in explaining everyone would
be given q full opportunity to be heard,
Shortridge said: 81 don't care II 1t Is
a man in purple or in rags"
Leaning over the table, Shearer told
him: If I'm not given an even break
soon you'll get your man in rags"
At this point Senator Allen OF Kansas
took up a long and severe cross-eXami-
nation of the witness, beginning with
questions about Shearer'S pamphlet,
1.-The Cloak of Benedict Arnold"
Shearer said about 900 of these had
been distributed and all paid for in the
bill of $3.50 which he received when
the pamphlets were suppressed.
Senator Allen questioned him about
his operations at Geneva and asked
Shearer how the American naval Off
GERS knew of the assistance he claimed
to be rendering.
Shearer said they read the news
papers and that he had met and talked
with every officer except Admiral Jones
did you tell them you had been sent
there by these shipbuflding companies?"
asked Senator Allen.
>, A. occ