Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-27

veal the sources from which they
obtained them"
Declines to Answer.
what Senators did you talk to
following the executive meeting on the
Lenroot case?" asked Senator Overman
of North Carolina.
THAT would go to the source Of my
information" said Mr.. Mallon, declining
to answer.
Senator Harrison of Mississippi
pointed out that Mr.. Mallon had said in
his dispatch that his information was
"indisputably authoritative" He asked
the witness If he meant by that he had
obtained it from members of the Sen
ate. The witness refused to answer the
question, and Senator Harrison brought
out the fact that newspaper men, like
lawyers or doctors, in the practice Of
their profession decline to reveal infor-
nation or sources of information which
they obtain in confidence.
After an executive session." said
Senator Watson of Indiana, do you
newspaper men ask various persons
what transpired behind closed doors?"
Yes, I can go that far said the
witness
IT guess we can all testify to that,
said Senator Watson, amid general
laughter.
The Indiana Senator suggested that
the roll call on the Lenroot nomination
| was not correct.
Il believed 1t correct and I still be-
lieve it so,' said Mr.. Mallon.
His attention was called to the fact
that some mistakes in the roll call had
been mentioned on the floor. Mr.. NAL
Ion replied that they were merely to
the pairs announced and not to the
recorded vote.
Says He Could Call Some Votes.
Members of the committee sought
to learn from Mr. Mallon il he or an
other experienced newspaper man In
the press gallery could not practically
poll the Senate on question that came
up for vote without ever asking them
IT could tell how some of them would
vote" said the witness. He admitted
that he might be able to tell how Sen
ator Moses would vote.
"A newspaper man could tell better
how the Senators would vote" said Sem
ator Harrison, before the White House
had cracked its whip"
Paul Patterson, an attorney from
Cleveland, Ohio, counsel for Mr.. NAL
lon. entered an objection to the char
acter of questions which were being
asked the witness on the ground that
they were merely designed to obtain
from the witness the sources of his in
formation, which he had declined to
give. The objection was overruled by
the chairman, although noted in the
record.
Senator Overman asked the witness
whether he would say he got his in
formation from Senator or an en-
ploye of the Senate. This the witness
declined to answer. Another question
was whether he obtained his informa-
ton regarding the Lenroot roll call
from the same source he obtained in
formation regarding the vote during the
last Congress on the nomination of Roy
0. West to be Interior Secretary.
The publication OF the West roll call
at that time caused a stir in the Senate.
The witness declined to answer that
question.
Says Sometimes Pool Information.
Senator Watson wanted to know
whether It was the practice of members
of the press gallery to get together after
an executive session Of the Senate and
to pool such information as they had
The witness said that occasionally 1t
might be done.
WAS that done in this case?" asked
Senator Watson.
Il cannot answer that question" said
Mr.. Mallon, "for 1t would run to the
source of my information"
Senator Harrison of Mississippi want
ed to know If Mr. Mallon had any
Encouragement with any Senator or
employe to give him the details of the
roll rr,tf 81
answer.
Senator Bingham Of Connecticut said
1t was obvious to any student Of journ-
aliSm that II newspaper man divulged
the confidential source of his inform
alton. he would be violating the ethics
of his profession. He tried to obtain
from Mr.. Mallon a statement that no
Senate employe had given him informa-
ton regarding the secret session.
The witness declined to make any
such statement. He said, however, that
he did not believe any Senator suspect
ed an employe.
Senator Bingham asked the witness
how a newspaper man would 60 about
finding out what had happened in an
executive session.
THE members of this committee al
a. know that" replied Mr.. Mallon.
Denies Amy Aspersion.
Senator Bingham charged that the
witness was casting aspersions on the
committee. presuming that they would
give out information about secret ses-
sions.
Mr. Mallon denied that he had any
intention of casting aSperSions on any
member Of the committee.
Senator Overman wanted 10 know
whether the privilege of the floor of
the Senate gave reporter any special
advantages and whether that privilege
was not courtesy extended by the
Senate.
The witness replied that he consider
ed the extension Of floor privileges to a
press association convenience, both
for members of tie Senate and for the
press.
He pointed out that without floor
privileges press associations would be
calling out Senators many times during
the day.
Senator Watson asked the witness
whether he did not consider he was
guest Of the Senate when he was on the
floor, and that that fact made q greater
obligation upon him not to reveal what
happened in executive sessions. since
the Senate had a rule forbidding its
members and employees to give out such
information.
Replies to Purpose Query.
"I will say this. Senator" replied the
winess, mo newspaper man would ac-