Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21
SENATOR HOWELL
DEMANDS POLITICAL
SCALP|NG OF LUCAS
G. O. P. Executive Director
Attacked for Working
Against Norris.
COMMITTEE is URGED
TO ASK RESIGNATION
Official Says He Preferred Hitch.
cock Between Two Men He
Considered Democrats.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The political scalp Of Robert II. Luz
cas-, executive director Of the Repub-
lican National Committee, was de-
manded in the Senate late yesterday by
Senator Howell, Republican, Of Me-
braska.
Senator Howell attacked the second
in command at Republican national
headquarters because he had sent into
Nebraska during the last campaign
anonymous literature of scurrilous
character to be used against the Repub-
lican senatorial nominee, Senator
George w. Norris.
Transaction Called Shadowy.
II have not before me at this time"
said Senator Howell, copies Of the lit
erature that was sent to Nebraska, but
I am sure there is not Senator here
want to father any such anonymous
literature. Mr.. Lucas as an individual
did not want to father 1t. But he testi-
fed he spent money of his own to send
this literature to son1e one in Nebraska
who could not be located, though It
finally reached the hands OF the So
called Democratic Republican Commit
tee, and that committee, after it had
viewed the literature, refused to send
it out.
yet this man, who is practically the
head of the Republican National Com
mittee, would send out that kind of
literature, and he does not see any I'M
propriety in it. He heroically defends
his attitude as worthy of o titular head
Of the Republican party. I served on
the Republican National Committee for
IL years, and member Of the Executive
Committee for eight. have never
known of case of this character be-
fore, and it seems to me that If the
Republican National Committee has any
respect for its reputation, for its acts,
it will ask Mr.. Lucas resignation imme-
diately. The improperly Of his action
slider ethics and fair play, that places
so dark shadow on the whole trans
action that there Is no question 90 to
what ought to take place"
Lucas Defends Action.
Senator Howell was strong supporter
of Norris in the Nebraska campaign
and belongs to the Republican progress
sive group in the Senate. He did not,
like Senator Norris, support Alfred z.
Smith for President in 1928.
Earlier in the day Mr.. Lucas was
called before the Nye Senatorial Cam
paign Investigating Committee and
Questioned about sending this literature
into Nebraska. Lucas admitted that he
had done so, at a cost of more than
$4,000, which, he said, he contributed
himself, raising the money on his own
note at the Commercial National Bank
of Washington. D. c.
Mr.. Lucas defended his action, de-
claring that Senator Norris was In
reality Democrat and not entitled TO
Republican support. He went so far
as to say that he would be willing to
see Norris vote with the Democrats In
the next Congress on organization Of
the Senate.
The Lucas incident, which now
promises to become an issue in the Re-
publican party. was brought up in the
Senate debate during the consideration
Of the Presidents appointments to the
Federal Water Power Commission.
Senator Cutting of New Mexico, one of
the Republican Progressives, said:
Lucas Resignation Denied.
81 desire to call the attention Of the
Senate to the evidence submitted to the
committee headed by Senator Nye,
which shows the power trust taking an
active hand in the election of members
Of this body. They have gone so far as
to use the services of the Executive De
rector of the Republican National Com.
mittee in order to elect a Democratic
Senator running against q Republican.
doubt If any analogy to that situation
exists In the entire history Of American
politics.
1T see sitting before me the dis
tinguished Senator from Ohio, the
Chairman Of the Republican National
Committee. And should like to ask
the Senator whether there Is any
foundation to the rumor that Mr.. Lucas
has handed in his resignation"
els the Senator serious in that in
quiry?" returned Senator Fess.
"I am" said Cutting.
IT have no information whatever IN
that matter" said Senator FesS.
Does the Senator intend to take any
stand In the matter of Mr.. Lucas?" Sen
ator Cutting asked.
1.-THE Senator does not" was Mr..
Fess' reply.
The Ohio Senator was invited to ap-
pear before the Nye Investigating Com
mittee, but declined, asserting that he
had no information in regard to the
activity of Mr. Lucas In the Nebraska
senatorial election.
Senator Glenn Defends Lucas.
Washington was agog last night over
what would be the upshot of the whole
affair. It had been asserted frequently
that before long Senator Tess would
step down out of the Craftsmanship Of
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