Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-30
DENIES INTENT
WRECK GENEVA FARLEY

at Geneva over the question OF parity
ana cruiser tonnage, asking him II adj
agreement was not due to the failure to
settle these difficulties.
I'VE regret such was not the case, and
the conference adjourned without agree
ment," Admiral Reeves stated. He
added: There was no action at Geneva
in which the American naval officers
were not in full accord"
When Admiral Reeves was excused at
this point the committee called Lau-
renee R. Wilder, president Of the Trans
oceanic Corporation, who had testified
previously.
Mr.. Wilder said he had been inform
ed by Clarence L. Bardo, vice president
of the BroWn-Boveri Electric Corpora
ton, that Shearer was not an Ameri-
can citizen
that he had visited the naval intelli-
gence department and had seen Comdr.
Powell.
Senator Shortridge asked the witness
II Comdr. Powell told him:
II Shearer was paid 100000 for
his work at Geneva, he still would be
undergrad"
Mr.. Wilder replied in the affirmative.
Be1ore the employment of Shearer, he
said, he had asked the latter for his
record and had forwarded it to his at
torneys in New York.
ShOrtridge Reads Lees Report.
Senator Shortridge read from the re-.
port submitted by Ivy Lee that Shearer
was Of American Revolutionary stock.
Lee referred to him in this report as
"a bug on the Navy" although, "in-
tensely patriotic" He stated that
Shearer came frequently to Washington
and when he did so usually started
something" Like others who always
were in attendance at Washington, the
report said, they usually came with
some scheme or other.
Senator Shortridge pressed the wit
ness to be more specific about his con-
ference with Mr.. Bardo at which criti-
ciSms were made of Shearer. He said
he had met Bardo at the Carlton Hotel.
He had had a personal quarrel with
Shearer. he said, but would not give
the reasons for it.
In fairness to Shearer, the witness
said ne wished to investigate his record
more thoroughly, because of statements
he had heard.
He replied to questioning by Senator
Shortridge that he had pressed Bardo
for more definite facts, but had failed
to elicit favorable information from him.
The result of his investigations,
Wilder said, were satisfactory to him.
The chairman asked him if he could
explain statement in Lees report to
the effect that he could not check up
on Shearer's connection with the Brit
ish government.
This letter had reference, it was
brought out, to the fact that Shearer
had offered his services to the British
admiralty on May 4, 1914. No further
light, however, was shed on this matter.
Wilder was excused rather unex-
pectedly in order to enable the COM
mittee to hear from Shearer himself.
Shearer Wants to Tell Story.
When Shearer was called to the stand
he promptly asked the committee for
the privilege ito tell my story"
Senator Shortridge said in reply that
the committee proposed to ask him
questions and treat him just as other
witnesses had been treated.
May I make statement" Shearer
shouted at the committee.
NO" said Senator Shortridge.
Shearer declared that every witness
who had hitherto come before the
committee had been granted the privi-
lege of making statement, even a
stool pigeon for Great Britain"
This happens to be my party" said
Shearer. He added that Senator Allen,
a member of the committee. had
secured the sewers of London for in
formation against him, and that Sem
ator Robinson of Arkansas, on the floor
of the Senate, had used the word trea-
son in connection with him. He said
he demanded the privilege Of making
statement.
Robinson Denies Treason"
"It is untrue that I used the word
treason on the floor of the Senate"
interjected Senator Robinson. Il don't
know your object in making that OBJ
servation, but it literally is untrue"
Shearer wanted to know in brusque
terms IF the committee calls this
fair"
Senator shortridge said that this was
"nobodys party" referring to Shearers
statement that it was his party.
Shearer said that Senator Allen had
endeavored to fix on Inn a jewel scan
day. He added: "I'll tell you in 80 min
utes what you can't get out IN 80 days,
for there is only one man that
knows it."
Senator Shortridge insisted that the
committee would proceed with the In
vestigation as it saw fit. Shearer Gained
down and thereafter answered the
him. When he was asked to give MS
name he made the statement that I'm
an American, Christian, Protestant"
The committee told him to confne
himself to his name.
Shearer said in reply to questions
that he had brought suit against three
shipbuilding companies for $250,000,
which he claimed to be due him for his
services in the years 1926 to 1929, in
elusive. The shipbuilding companies,
he said, had paid him something over
ISL 900. They were the American
Brown-Boveri Electric Corporation, the
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
and the Newport News Shipbuilding &
Dry Dock Corporation.
Wants Whole Story Told.
"When did you enter into an agree
ment with them?" asked Senator Short
ridge.
The chairman added, II want the
whole story told"
THANK you, SIR" said Shearer.
The witness said that he had entered
into the agreement with the Shipbuild-
ers after his speech at the Marine din
ner at the Waldorf Hotel in New York
in the early part of November, 1926.
He said that he had been approached