Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-04
CANNON CONTINUES.
TO REFUSE REPLIES.
Bishop Persists in Contention
Anti Work Was
Personal Affair.
CONTINUED From First Paee.l

Senator Walsh of Montana and Senator
Blaine of wisconsin. The other mem
bers are Senator Caraway chairman
Senator Borah of Idaho, and Senator
Robinson of Indiana.
Bishop Cannon said that he had never
been subpoenaed by the committee;
that he was appearing as voluntary
witness.
IF we're subpoenaed. however" said
Bishop Cannon, II would take exactly
the same attitude"
senator Walsh said that the same
obligation to answer questions rested
upon Bishop Cannon as witness for
the committee whether he was sub
poenaed or not. ..,-...-.. -, 49,,
IT wish to call your attention to the
fact that the refusal Of witness to
a Senate committee is a penal Of
fense," continued Senator Walsh.
Stands on Rights.
"I have considered that" replied
Bishop Cannon, and I stand on my
rights as an American citizen to carry
on political activity without being IN
vestigated by committee of Congress"
Senator Walsh called attention TO the
fact that the congressional committees
have repeatedly brought citizens before
them and asked them questions ABOUT
their political activities. -
When Bishop Cannon declined TO
answer Senator Walsh's FIRST question
dealing with the anti-Smith campaign
Bishop Cannon replied that he had
asked the committee TO pass on its own
Jurisdiction in this matter. ..,...-,.
Senator Walsh said that the commit
tee would not pass upon such question
until Bishop Cannon had actually de-
~ =
"If your committee desires any in
formation regarding the activities OF
our board" said Bishop Cannon, re-
ferring to the Board Of Temperance and
social Service of which he is chairman,
II am perfectly willing to give 1t. But
I do not propose to answer questions
about my political activities" ..,,..
The witness read to this committee
at this point prepared statement OF
his position.
Text of Statement.
The statement read by Bishop Can
Il cali the attention of the commit
tee to the letter, which at the begin
ming of the hearing I requested to be
placed IN the Record, stating, II your
committee desires any information con-
corning the work Of our board, we snaIl
De glSQ 10 appear pCAOAC 9AtC SSAA~AAANNSS
and furnish such information.
"That letter specifically restricted the
information proposed to be given. 1t
did not intimate any purpose to give
information concerning the personal
activities Of any. one. -.s.,--. -
while there are some matters con-
nected with the Virginia anti-Smith
campaign, especially the jameson con-
tributions and expenditures, concerning
which shall make further state,
rnsnt to the press, yet, as see 1t, the
isSI,s invnived in this matter Of the as
sumption of the right of this committee
to investigate my personal political ac-
tivity Is too vital to be compromised.
Regarded as Infringement.
eff this committee, appointed to IN
vestigate lobbying assumes the right
to investigate my political activities as
an individual in the anti-Smltn cam
raten, then 1t can assume the right 10
investigate the activities of every IN
dividual citizen who votes or works In
any political campaign pertaining to
the election Of national officers.
"I consider that such an assumption
If authority BY any committee OF the
Senate or Of the House of Representa-
tives of the United States Is an m
tolerable infringement upon the rights
of American citizens to entire freedom
In their political activity, and seems
10 be intended as a threat to indie
pendent citizens against any repetition
of the uprising OF 1928.
"I am pleased to note that my In
terpretation of the jurisdiction OF the
committee Is confirmed by statement
contained in the spress this morning
by the chairman Of the committee,
Senator T. H. Caraway."
or n
day with spectators, some Of whom APP
plauded Bishop Cannon's replies to the
committee. Occasionally there was q
hiss also.
Persisted in Refusal.
Senator Blaine took over the exam
nation Of Bishop Cannon and pumped
scores q questions at him, most OF
which Sha bishop refused to answer.
A number Of questions were asked
the bishop about a pamphlet entitled
prohibition Repeal Unthinkable," an
address delivered by Bishop Cannon at
the Mayfower Hotel. This pamphlet
was widely circulated, with more than
100000 copies distributed, some Of
them by the bishops board and some
of them by the anti-Smith Democratic
organization.
1t was developed that the speech was
printed in the Congressional Record and
hundreds of thousands of copies sent
out under the frank of Senator Hef-
lin of Alabama. Complaint was made
that in one of the envelopes so franked
and containing the speech Of Bishop
Cannon were also two other pamphlets
entitled The Honesty of Al Smith" ano
est. Peter Not the Founder of Ro-
manism"
Bishop Cannon said that he knew
nothing about those pamphlets or how
they happened to be inclosed with one
of his speeches. He expressed the
opinion, however, that it was more thar
likely that some one inserted these
pamphlets "in order to create q news.
paper headline"
Quizzed on $4,000 Gift
Many of Senator Blaine's questions
turned on a contribution Of IS 900 made
to Bishop Cannon by DR.. Clarence True
Wilson of the Methodist Board of TEN
perance and Public Morals which
Bishop Cannon used for sending on
copies of his speech, Repeal of Prohibi-
ton Unthinkab BILE" Senator Blaine
wanted to know what Bishop Cannon
had done with the money and in thi
connection asked Bishop Cannon Il
state what banks he had checking &C
counts in.
Il decline to answer said Bishop
Cannon. This committee has nothing
to do with my personal affairs"
Have you ever made an accounting
to DR.. Wilson for this s5,000?" demand
ed Senator Blaine.
mo accounting was asked for" re
piled Bishop Cannon. IF any account
ing is asked for, I shall try to max
one"
How was the Asheyille conference
made up?" asked Senator Blaine.
Il decline TO answer" said the wit
ness. He did say that he himself wa
at the conference, but he declined t
say who had presided or who had beel
Ganretaru at the cnnference