The Washington times., 1929-10-02
.SHEARER D j Il
DELAYED BY /
SENATE !

Premier Ramsay Macdonald
will not be embarrassed during
his stay in Washington by
the Senate's investigation into
the activities Of William B.
Shearer.
The Shortridge committee con-
sidered it would be somewhat IN.
congruous to have the Washington
atmosphere filled with charges and
counter-charges of British stool
pigeon" and mysterious illusions
to the existence of amazing ana
secret British documents" at the
very time that President Hoover
and the British prime, minister >sit
down to discuss the conclusion OF
the naval accord between the two
countries.
Consequently, the committee ad-
journed it's further investigation
into Shearer's activities until Mac
Donald has concluded his visit to
Mr.. Hoover.
Testimony Voluminous
six enormous volumes Of test.
mony already have been compiled
by the senatorial investigators. and
the end is not in sight. They con.
tain the story Of how Shearer was
employed by three American ship
building concerns TO represent them
at the Geneva naval conference,
which failed because of British-Amer-
lean differences on the question Of
cruiser parity.
| They contain the accusation that
Shearer was anti-British, and his
denial of this and his stout assertion
that he was "pro-American." They
contain the results of some II hours
Of the grilling of Shearer by mem
bers of the committee, which has
spread the story of Shearer's activi-
ties at Geneva pretty fully on the
records.
The most definite accusation dur
ing the weeks investigation came
from Drew Pearson, a newspaper
correspondent who covered" the
Geneva conference. Pearson, who
appeared to be an eager and voluble
witness. declared Shearer promoted
anti-British propaganda at Geneva,
and was on friendly terms with
American delegates, one Of whom.
Rear Admiral Joseph M. Reeves,
Pearson said he heard frequently
express the hope the conference
would fall"
Shearer Enters Denial
Shearer denied Pearson's accusa-
stool pigeon" and "a liar,''e and Ad-
miral Reeves swore that he never
expressed the hope that the con-
ference would fail.
| When the committee reconveneg
1t is expected more light will be
| thrown on the existence of "the
amazing and secret British docu-
ment" which Shearer said bore the
signature of Sir william Wiseman,
chief Of British Secret Service in
this country. 1t related to Amer
lean naval affairs, and thus far
has been withheld from publication.
The amazing document" pur.
ports to be letter or memorandum
addressed to David Lloyd George,
dated in June of 1919. Lloyd George
was then Premier of Great Britain,
and Sir William Wiseman was head
of the British Secret Seevice in the
United States.
Wiseman is row identified with
| Kuhn, Loeb & Co., bankers, in New
York. He sent a telegram to Sena-
tor Shortridge last night saying he
thought he knew the nature Of the
document and that it was an
absurd forgery"
BOSTON, Oct. Testimony by
William B. Shearer at the Senate
shipbuilding investigation that he
was sent to Boston to get the sin
pie Irish voters" to support the Re-
publican ticket in the last national
campaign was denied today by Louis
K. Liggett, Massachusetts, national
committeeman.
| Liggett said he remembered inter-
viewing for a few minutes very
| glib talker with an attractive per-
| sonality. listening to his Navy story,
glancing over his pamphlets, which
were later consigned to waste bas-
ket, but never doing anything more
about it. or ever seeing the man
again.
Stirring up the Irish" was never
| mentioned. Liggett said, adding
| Shearer impressed him as being
somewhat of 'fourflusher."