Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-12
MOVES TO PUNISH
!. CANNON LAUNCHED
Step to Ask Authority for
Political Inquiry Also
Is Initiated.
Continued From First Page)

Continued From First Page)
mittee had also inquired into attempts
to elect Senators and Representatives.
he added, and Presidents of the United
States.
In the Huston case, Blaine said. the
committee inquired into his financial
records.
MY position" said Blaine, "is the
committee has authority to go into
Bishop Cannon'S financial records TO
ascertain II any of the money has been
used in lobbying activities.
Il maintain it is pertinent to ask
questions about accounts so the COM
mittee may obtain information to re-
quire the delivery of those accounts"
The accounts to which Blaine re-
| ferred dealt with $65,300 contributed
to Cannon by E. c. Jameson, New YORK
capitalist, for use in the 1928 anti
| Smith campaign
The proposition of whether the
questions are pertinent is question OF
| law" Blaine said.
He cited the case Of fairy r. SIN
| clair, wealthy oil man, to snow that
/ Senate committee had authority TO
compel a witness to answer lueetlorA
| Sinclair was sent to jail Tor refusal 10
| answer.
The Wisconsin Senator urged that
| Cannon's refusal to answer be cited by
| the committee to the Senate for posi-
| BILE contempt proceedings.
| when it does that" he asserted, 1T
shall have done its duty"
| Blaine then moved to cite Cannon 10
| the Senate for contempt, but before he
| could press his motion, CaraWay asked
/ to make statement.
The chairman said he had expressed
the opinion in Arkansas that the com
mittee had no authority to go into
purely political activities.
He said the statement might have
been unfortunate"
Senator Cannon" Brings Laugh.
Referring to assertions he said had
been made to the effect that the COM
mistee had dealt differently with wit
nesses, Caraway read from the exam
nation of Henry H. Curran, preSioent
of the association against the prohlol-
ton amendment.
He said the association had been en-
gagged in lobbying activities.
II know honest men of deep religious
and prohibition prejudices sometimes
cease to tell the truth" the Arkansan
observed.
He inadvertently referred to Senator
Cannon" at one point and laughter
broke out.
Caraway begged the pardon OF the
witness.
He said the committees action in in
curing into Huston's accounts was
prompted by information that some OF
the money had been used IN LOBBYING
activities for the Tennessee River I'M
provement Association.
everybody knows it was lobbying
account" Caraway said.
| Referring to $500 given TO Huston
by the Union Carbide Co., CaraWay
said:
"That was a lobbying fund. There
was never any question about it.
Sought Leasing of Shoals.
The money was given for use Of the
Tennessee association in advocating
leasing of Muscle Shoals to the Amerl-
can Cynamid Co.
wherever there has been lobbying
in connection with political activities
there is no question about the authority
of the committee" Caraway aaid.
The chairman said the committee
/ heretofore had conducted its affairs
largely by unanimous consent but
from now on the decisions will be an
nounced as a majority"
He said If a majority voted against
Blaine's resolution it would not be re-
ported, but that would not prevent
Blaine from carrying it to the Senate.
Robinson, upon leaving the hearing,
said he wanted to be recorded as voting
against Blaines motion.
Walsh remarked he believed the COM
mittee. had no right to go into purely
political activities" but he thought Cam
mons activities were not purely po-
litical."
Maintains Work Is Linked.
The Montana Senator maintained
Cannons political activities had been
! "ineXtricably associated" with his other
work before Congress and said that
point was the only difference between
him and Caraway.
The chairman referred to an OBJ
lection made by Walsh to the examina-
ton of John ]. Raskob, chairman of
the Democratic national committee.
There was no evidence that Mr..
RaSkob ever had evidence in lobbying
activity" Walsh said and Galway
agreed.
Blaine said the churchman had been
a member of many organizations which
had engaged in lobbying activities, and
that the Methodist temperance board,
OF which he is chairman, also had lob
bied
He added Cannon had been connect
! ed with more lobbying associations than
any other witness, and said SIS 900 given
the witness by DR.. Clarence True Will
son Of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
300 by Jameson and $1,000 from
| sources in Atlanta, Ca" might have
been used for lobbying and that the
committee should go into his records
Cites Duties of Witness.
II contend it is not within the prov
lnce OF witness to determine whether
a fund is political or lobbying" Blaine
| continued. 1T is the province of a
witness to give facts. If it was learned
the fund was purely political the COM
m!ttee would not go into it,"
Walsh then proposed to substitute
for Blaine's motion one to ask specific
authority OF the Senate to investigate
political activities
Blaine's motion would call for re-
porting to the Senate the ''willful de-
| fault" of Cannon in refusing to answer
questions and in walking out on the
committee without permission" He
also moved that Caraway report to the
Senate list of the questions Cannon
refused to answer.
| the Walsh motion would call for
reporting to the Senate the questions
| Cannon declined to answer and so
much OF the testimony to show their
! relevancy"
None Will Comment.
Senator Robinson previously had SAD
he was opposed to asking the Senate for
specific authority to investigate political
activities.
How the other members would vote
was uncertain and none would COM
ment.
Cannon Is Silent" Witness.