Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-09
SENATORS IN ROW
OVER P. 0. LEASES
de-and-Seek Tactics Fol-
lowed by Verbal Fireworks
on Floor.


representatives of the Department OF
Justice who wanted the documents pre-
coded yesterdays verbal fireworks in
the Senate over Post once leases.
The pyrotechnicS were climaXed by
charges of Senators Nye Of North Da-
kota and Blaine of Wisconsin that the
Government was being defrauded OF
millions Of dollars annually due to
corruption" in postal leases.
The elusive legislator with the de-
partmental records was Representative
Mas, Republican, Of Minnesota. The
records covered negotiations Tor the
leasing of a building in st. Paul for
Post ONCE purposes. He had obtained
them from the Justice Department,
where they had been sent by the Post
ONCE Department, but the postal ON
Gals wanted them back urgently.
Statement by Mr.. Mas.
Mr.. Mas told the Associated Press
that the Justice Department made per-
sistent demands for return OF the rec
ords and how he held off surrendering
them in order to turn them over to the
Senate lobby investigating committee
Senator Blaine declared in the Sen
ate debate that the effort OF the de-
partmentS to suppress the documents
was another earmark" Of his conten-
ton that the Post once Department
was negligent, If not criminally negh-
gent" with respect to the leases.
Mas said he obtained the records
from the Justice Department while the
House appropriations committee was
CONSIDERING the appropriation covering
rental for the st. Paul building.
Wanted by p. 0. Department.
"When I asked the Post once De-
partment for them 1 found they had
been turned over to the Justice De-
partment for safe keeping" Mas said.
1T got them from the Justice Depart
ment. When I started TO make speeches
exposing the fraudulent character OF
the leases-baSing my statements on
statements in the recordS-the Post
once Department asked the Justice
Department for them"
A Justice Department official tele-
phoned him, Mas said, demanding the
return of the documents. Mas prom
ised to return them If given two days
grace.
"The next day a messenger appeared
at nv Office and said he had 10 nave
the file,'" said Mas. Il was deter.
mined not to give them up, so l SAID
that the Congressman is out OF Town
for the day"
Mas, a man of youthful appearance,
said the messenger required MIN 10
write a note declaring that the con-
gresham" was away.
That night, knowing that the JUS
tice Department would insist, 1 TOOK
them over to several members OF the
Senate lobby committee and asked them
to subpoena both me and the records,
he added.
Request ArOuSes Discussion.
There was some discussion, he said,
but the committee members tnen
agreed. The next morning-while JUS
tice Department messengers again
waited for Representative Mas In his
office-he "hid" in a Senator's ONCE
until the subpoena was prepared.
They served me in the office" Mas
added, land then returned to my own
office, the records secure"
Senator Blaine condemned the Post
once and Justice Departments Tor
criminal negligence" in falling to break
the leases. He offered a resolution call
ing for a Senate investigation Of the
1900 post oflce building leases.
The attack centered on an item in
the Post ONCE Department appropria-
ton bill allowing $4,000 for next
years rental of the commercial post
ONCE station in st. Paul. Neither the
Blaine resolution nor the appropriation
item were voted upon after the all-day
assault.
PhippS Defends Administration.
Defending the present administration,
Senator Phipps, Republican, Colorado,
said no rent had been paid on the st.
Paul post Office substation since March,
1000 10 rood latter from cfar
General Brown suggesting that pro-
vision be made for lump sum appro-
priation Of 100000 for rental of an
other st. Paul building pending settle
ment of court action involving the
commercial station.
Senator Nye asserted the st. Paul
transaction smells to the high heaven
IF other leases are on a par with
that at st. Paul." he said, 1.-The Situa-
ton is rotten and unconscionable, and
it is a story that possibly rivals the
Teapot Dome naval oil reserve lease"
Nye said the fair rental value of the
st. Paul station would be about $50, 600
annually. He charged that Jacob Kulp
& Co. of Chicago, which controlled the
st. Paul lease, had inflated the valua-
ton of the property after obtaining in
1928 from the Post ONCE Department
a clause in the lease guaranteeing
against cancellation Of the 2O-year
leasing contract.
In return for that clause, Nye said,
Kulp reduced the annual rent for the
Government from $120,775 to $4,000.
Blaine Quotes Records.
Senator Blaine read from records OF
the Post Office Department which he
said contained a report from G. H
Clarahan, an inspector, stating that
kulp promised to see to it that he
would be promoted if favorable report
were made on the st. Paul lease. The
records quoted Clarahan as replying he
did not want any help in promotion
from Kulp.
The Wisconsin Senator said Clara
hans report was missing in the de-
partmental record. He asserted that
the absence of that report is badge
that points to the connection between
the Post Office Department and Mr.
Kulp in these frauds"
Blaine said Kulp g. Co. had 81 of the
1900 post Office building leases, cover
ing territory from the Pacific Coast to
Dallas, Tex; Columbus, Ohio, and
Grand Rapids, Mich.
There is Justification" the Wiscon-
sin Senator added, "for the belief that
somebody is making money out Of thi;
in the service of the Government. The
Post Office Department has been dere-
lict in its duty, negligent toward the
Government which the Postmaster
General should serve.
1.-THE ramifications 60 to the First
National Bank of Williamsport, Pa"
Letter Read From Bank OfEicial.
Blaine did not explain this reference
but thereupon read q letter from ar
unnamed bank official to an unnamed
Senator, calling attention to the fight
in the House of Representative Mas
to break the post office leases ano
warning that securities totaling about
$50, 900 had been sold throughout the
country upon the basis of these leases
Senator Schall, Republican, Mime