Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-20
SHIP COMPANIES
HIRED SHEARER AS
GENEVA OBSERVER
Head of New York Concern
Tells Senate ProberS He
Had No Other Duties.
CLINTON |. BARD0 FIRST
WITNESS TO BE HEARD
Committee Told Firm Not Inter
ested in Failure of Naval
Conference.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Fiat denial that William B. Shearer
had been employed at the Geneva naval
limitation conference in 1927, in any
other capacity than as IAN observer
and recorder" by his company was made
today by Clinton L. Bardo, president Of
the New York Shipbuilding Co.
Mr.. Bardo WAS the first witness in the
senatorial investigation Of charges that
Shearer was employed by three Ameri-
can shipbuilding companies to help
break down the Geneva naval confer
ence.
In face of repeated questions by
members of the committee, Mr.. Bardo
insisted that his company had been
interested merely in the trend" OF the
conference, and that 1t had not been
interested in its failure.
Senator Robinson of Arkansas de-
clared that it was beyond his compre-
hension how the shipbuilding company
could have been interested in the trend
of the conference and not in its fall
ure. The ship company official stuck
to his guns however. He said that his
company and the shipbuilding industry
generally was interested in the trend oil
the conference because OF their con-
tracts for the construction of naval ves-
sells and because of the contracts pend
ing.
Agreed to Pay $25,0OO.
Mr.. Bardo testified that his COM
pany had joined with the Newport News
Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. and Beth
Iehem Shipbuilding Corporation in an
agreement to pay Snearer SIS 900 to Get
as an observer for them at the Geneva
conference. Under examination the
witness said that the shipbuilding COM
panies had employed Shearer to give
them the facts of what was developing
at the conference. He added later that
Shearer had not given them anything
in the way of information which they
did not get from the newspapers.
Shearer's employment by the ship
building companies, Mr. Bardo told the
committee, was discontinued by a letter
sent to him at the Hotel Hamilton here,
terminating the contract. The letter
was addressed to Mr.. Shearer by Henry
C. Hunter, an attorney for the eastern
shipbuilders.
Shearer and his attorney, Judge
Daniel F. Cohalan, attended the OPEN
ing of the investigation. Before 1t got
under way Judge Cohalan urged upon
the committee that 1t was only fair
and in accordance with the precedentS
to hear Shearer first. The committee,
however. proceeded with the investi-
cation of shipbuilding oficials, although
Chairman ,ShortIidge announced that
Shearer probably would be called and
given an opportunity to make full
statement.
Mr.. Bardo told the committee that
the shipbuilding companies had had no
written contract with Shearer. He was
employed, Mr.. Bardo said, as the result
of a conference in New York attended
by representatives of the companies,
Mr.. Hunter and Shearer. Mr.. Bardo
testified that he considered the sum
paid Shearer too large, but that he
had allowed his judgment to. be swayed
by the representatives. OF the other
companies Shearer's reports, the wit
ness told the committee, had not COW
cred the subject for which he was en-
pIoyed. Mr., Bardo characterized some
of the reports as bunk" and said that
they had been filed by his secretary in
some instances without his ever seeing
them.
The witness said, in reply to a ques-
ton, that Shearer's employment had
been definitely discontinued because
Shearer apparently was seeking to
fasten himself permanently on the ship
building company.
Reports Not Intelligent.
The witness said that he himself
had been through with Shearer"
Why were you through with him?"
asked Senator Robinson.
II have never been accustomed to
waste much time with a fellow who
didn't do what he was told to do' re.
Piled Mr., Bardo. He didn't send in
telligent reports on the trend of the
conference as he was assigned to do"
Another reason given by Mr.. Bardo for
being through with Shearer was the
publication in New York newspaper
Of dispatch written by Shearer pur-
porting to give the Inside story of the
intrigue at Geneva" Shearer was rep
resented as having been at the Geneva
conference in the employ of American
patriotic societies. Mr.. Bardo insisted
that Shearer couldn't ride two horses
at the same time"
Shearer Arrives Early.
william B. Shearef, about whom the
whole investigation revolves, appeared
at the committee room half an hour
before the hearing began today and
took a seat reserved for spectators. Mr..
Shearer has not yet been summoned
by the committee, but 1t is expected will
be heard after the officials of the ship
building corporations which employed
him have given their testimony.
Mr.. Shearer was joined in the COM
mittee room by Judge Daniel F. Co
halan of New York, his attorney. MIR.
Shearer declined to make any state,
ment for publication at this time.
'I have nothing to say" said Mr..
CONTINUED on Page S, Column H.