Putnam patriot., 1930-04-17
SHOWED ITSELF
 FOR WHAT IT IS
Caraway Investigating Commit tee Drops Mask With
 Raskob on Stand
Evident Bingham Victim of Political
 Greed

Greed
 The Caraway lobby investigating committee has lost it's mask. and what ever stigTna that group east over the name of Senator Hiram Bingham last year has been almost completely if not entirely minimized to nothing
 The committee showed itself for what it really is-a vicious. partisan collection of the best legal minds in the seuate-when John J. Raskob, chairman of the democratic national committee. appeared to testify and special police had Co be called Co the meeting room to keep the crowd of spectators in order.
 Early in the week Chairman Huston of the republican national committee had been called beaore the committee and subjected Co a very thorough and humiliating inquisition by the demo cratic members of the committee there is only one regular republican in the group. Senator Robinson of Indiana, Senators Walsh and Car away. democrats, heaped indiRnity af- ter indignity upon Huston even as they had endeavored to heap indigni- ty after indignity upon Bingham last year when he appeared to defend his use of Charles EYanson of the Con necticut Manufacturer Association as a tariff expert.
 A Deplorable Scene
 During the appearance of Senator Bingham. Huston and other republic on members of the committee staged one of the most deplorable scenes ever seen within Congressional circles They stormed, shouted for got about courtesy, called the wit nesses liars. asked them questions and then interrupted Co order them to shut up. told them to answer yes or no. refused to permit them Co make complete statements. Even Wash ington was ashamed.
 But then came the day of Senator Robinson, republican member of the committee. He demanded the appear ance of Democratic National Chair man Raskob and promptly took away the mask of non -partisanship the committee has been trying to wear.
 Present on the day when Raskob appeared were Senators Walsh and Carawag. democrats of the commit tee. and Robinson Before an hour had expired, Caraway and Walsh had come out from under cover, had lined up with Raskob against Robinson and were red in the face and ilustered.
 When Robinson endeavOred Co ask Raskob the same questions that had been put to Huston by Walsh and Caraway a few hours before, the tranquility Of the democrats blew up.
 Csraway Angry
 They tried to outshout Robinson; {; declared his questions were irrel- evant. CaraWay. his round face red, got up from his chair behind the com mittee table, thrust his hands deep in to his pockets and wandered angFily about the room, shouldering speeta- tors aside with scant courtesy
 Walsh. that man of Teapot Dome .ame, bristled more than his usual self. His shaggy eyebrows were elevated more than ever; the corners of his droopy mouth dropped more than usual.
 Don't you answer that, he shout ed curtly to Raskob time after time when Senator Robinson, ever smiling and alert, asked the democratic chair man questions that Walsh did not like. It was plainly evident that with A democrat in the witness chair. those who had questioned Bingham and i Huston mereilessly were very very anxious that the same questions should not be put to MT. Raskob
 At one point Robinson read ar editorial charging that Raskob had l left the republican party and had be come the democratic national chair man because he felt that in this cap acity he could better influence legis lation.
 Did you?n Robinson wanted tS know.
 Don't Answer That!
 Don't answer that" warned Walsh Raskob's officials capacity had nothing to do with the investigation argued Caraway and Walsh. And they re- fused to permit Robinson question to be answered.
 Yet oniy a few short months be fore, those same senators had spent more than a week questioning Bing ham and Eyanson in efforts to prove that Bingham had hired Eyansoh, and using his official capacity as senator had brought Eyanson into tariff hear. ings in an attempt to influence tarin legislation. When Mir. Raskob wa' before the committee, however, they thought that official capacity had nothing to do with the probe. l From the moment Raskob sat dowr in the witness chair until the ques tioning was ended, it was plainly evident that Robinson was alone 1T l trying to elicit information from ths national chairman.
 And iG was also plainly evident, te even those who dislike Senator Bing ham, that the senator had been vie tim of political greed and persona dislike when he was questionad bl the lobby committee and censured bi the senate last year.
 
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