Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
SENATE COMMITTEE
PUTS OFF DECISION
ON MELLON STATUS
Continued From First Page.)

Hoover was not required to resubmit
the nomination of Mr.. Mellon, who
continued on In the new cabinet from
the administration Of Calvin Coolidge.
The committee also held there was no
case against Mr.. Mellon because he held
some stock in the Overholt Distilling Co.
before prohibition went into effect.
Goes Into Legal Point.
Senator Norris did not make public
his report but 1t was learned that 1t
went exclusively into the legal point at
issue. He quoted extensively from
Supreme Court decisions on the extent
to which a stakeholder is an interested
party in business
Quoting at length from the address
on law enforcement made by President
Hoover at the Associated Press luncheon
recently, the report stated that "this
beautiful sentiment so eloquently ex-
pressed should be our guiding star"
But 1t is not enough to state our
Ideas in beautiful generalities," con-
tinued Norris. I'VE must practice what
we preach. 1t is not sufficient that
those at the top should remind the COM
mon citizen Of his duty, but the high
official. the appointing power, must
obey the same law for which he de-
mands obedience Of the citizen.
When the law Is strictly and honest
ly obeyed and followed by the official
the respect Of the common citizen for
all law will be greatly increased. If
corruption In official life had not been
so universal during the last few years,
or II such crimes when exposed had
been publicly denounced by high off,
Gals in our Government, this disrespect
for law charged by the President to be
almost universal would have been much
lessened II not entirely eliminated"
Norris contended that 10 would be
lust as easy" for Mr.. Mellon to sell his
stock in the Gulf Oil Corporation and
the Aluminium co. of America as 1t was
for him to dispose of his stock in ma
tional banks.
we feel, therefore," concluded the
Norris report, that the danger Of the
country. II Mr. Mellon be disqualified
from holding the Office of Secretary of
the Treasury, has been greatly exagger-
ated. II, however. the country has
reached the condition where only men
owning millions of stock in business
corporations are qualified to hold the
office OF Secretary OF Treasury, then
instead Of trying to nullify the law and
set precedent before the people, we
should amend or repeal 1t so that at
least We could truthfully say that those
whose duty 1t is to enforce the law are
not themselves looking for technical
means by which the law can be nulli-
fed"
Removal and Fine Penalty.
The law In question specifically pro-
vides that no person appointed to the
office of Secretary OF the Treasury shall
directly or indirectly be concerned or
interested in carrying on the business
Of trade or commerce, or to be the own
er in whole or in part Of any sea ves-
sell"
The penalty provided by the law is
removal from Office and fine Of $4,000
Of which half shall be for the use of
the person giving such information +"
Mr. Mellon himself informed the COM
mittee Of his stock holdings. He said
he held stock in the Gulf Oil Corpora
ton and the Aluminium Co. of America,
but not controlling interest.
1t was argued In the committee to-
day that a stakeholder could not be
considered within the intent OF the law
because OF the words interested in
carrying on" AS a stakeholder, it was
commended that Mellon was not carry
, ing on" business.