Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-30
NYE SAYS TAPPING
CHARGES L|BELOUS
Three Other Senate Probers
Join in Warning to Press
Against Publication.
BY the Associated Press.

| BY the Associated Press.
A warning to newspapers that repeat
ed publication of Mrs. Ruth Hanna Nc
Cormick's wire tapping charges against
the Senate Campaign Funds Investi-
eating Committee will be regarded as
"Willful and malicious libel" was issued
yesterday over the signatures of four
members Of the committee.
The statement characterized the ac-
cusations of the Illinois Republican
senatorial nominee as false and libel
Gus. 1t repeated q specific denial of
each of her accusations and charged
that newspapers have been induced
| by Mrs. McCormick's we'll organized
| publicity to misrepresent the activities
OF the committee, distort the news of
its proceedings and to repeatedly print
false statements from the tongue and
pen of Mrs. Mccormick in apparent
disregard of libel laws"
Do Not Waive Rights.
The warning against future repeti-
ton of the charges was given, the COM
mitteemen said, without waving any
right of the committee or any indi-
vidual member of it or any employe of
it to bring action for what has already
been said and published Of q libelous
and slanderous nature"
| North Dakota, the Republican chair
man of the committee, and Senator's
Dale, Republican, Vermont: Dill of
Washington and Wagner Of New York.
both Democrats. Senator Patterson,
Republican, Missouri, fifth member of
! the group, abstained from signing, Nye
| said, because he had not been closely
associated with the Illinois investiga-
| ton and did not wish to commit him
self on aaY DhaSe of 1t.
Charges Throttling.
In Centralia, Ill, Mrs. Mccormick
| replied to the committee with state
ment that the group was now attempt
| ing Ito throttle the press Of the United
| States
The four committeeman said Mrs,
| Mccormick "has the effrontery to con-
tinue to make statements which are
| not only false in fact, but which she
herself must know to be false"
| The statement Of the committee read:
MRS. Ruth Hanna Mccormick con-
| tinues to make false and nDelous
charges that members OF the senate
/ Investigating Committee put detectives
/ at work to break into her private
premises, to ransack her personal cor
| respondence, to pilfer her files and rec
ords and to tap her telephone wires
Distortion Charged.
newspapers have been induced by
! Mrs. McCormick's well organized pub
| licity to misrepresent the activities Of
| the committee, distort the news OF It's
proceedings and to repeatedly print false
statements from the tongue and pen
| of Mrs. Mccormick in apparent diSre-
| gard of libel laws. This has been car
| ried to such a point that there are pub
| fishers today who seem never TO nave
| seen denials of these charges issued TO
the press In times past.
I'VE have said and we repeat that
these charges are totally and utterly
| false. No member OF the committee
! whose name Is affixed hereto has been
in any way responsible for such acts
as have been committed. We have not
at any time spied upon Mrs. McCor-
mick. We have not tapped her wires.
| We have not read her correspondence,
either private or offlcial. We did not
rifle her files at Byron or elsewhere,
nor have we or any one OF us or any
agent for the committee directed, APP
proved or had knowledge of any such
acts. $50
Warns Newspapers.
1--WE dislike honoring these charges
by repeating our denials, but Mrs. Nc
Cormick has the effrontery to continue
to make statements which are not only
false in fact, but which she herself
must know to be false. The news
papers which have been induced to
print Mrs. McCormick's libels are now
expressly notified that any future repe-
tition of them will be regarded as will
ful and malicious libel, for the pub
LEGATION of which they have no justi-
fcation, but must assume individual
responsibility, and this notification is
given without waving any right of the |
committee or any individual member |
OF 1t or any employe Of 1t to bring |
action for what has already been said |
and published Of q libelous or SANDER
Gus nature"
Patterson Declines Statement. !
KANSAS CITY, September 80 DBL
Declining to comment on q report Of a /
break in the Senate Committee on CAM |
palgn expenditures, Senator Roscoe c. |
Patterson, Missouri q member of the
committee, at his home here last night |
made public telegram he sent to SEN
ator Nye, In which he refused to sign
the committee statement.
answering your telegram of the 9th
instant" Mr.. Pattersons telegram stated,
viii say that / desire to adhere to nv
original position to the effect that I
would make no commitments upon any
phase of the investigation until after Al
the evidence had been heard.
1T Is my opinion that the Senate
Committee on Campaign Expenditures
has no jurisdiction to conduct an INQUIRY
into any question except campaign ex-
penditures In primary and general elec-
tons and conduct and methods relating
thereto. 1t also is my opinion that the
committee does have the inherent power
to investigate any charge of misconduct
on the part Of any of its agents or EN-
ployes in their official capacity.
"A majority of the committee denied
the attorney general of the State of
Illinois the opportunity of presenting
evidence in support of the matters mem
toned In your telegram relating to the
alleged misconduct of alleged agents of
the committee. While giving fun faith
to the statement of every member OF
the committee that he has no knowledge
OF such misconduct on the part OF any
one connected with the committee, /
can not make commitment on the
question Of whether any agent of the
committee has been guilty Of such mis-
conduct until all the evidence relating
thereto has been heard
Holding these views, and having the
further conception that my position as
. member Of the committee Is. QUASI
judicial IA character, must respectfully
decline TO permit my name 70 be at.
tached 70 either Of the statements con-