The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-09-29

Washington = By far the most persistent, and active lobbyist to appear here. this generation Is the red-headed, biue-eyed James E.. Welch, of Shreveport, La.
 Welch lobbied for 22 months for the custody of his child who was held in Venezuela, S.. A., and has just been notified that the crild will be turned over to him by Venezuelan state officials.
 The child was in Venezuela, and among Welch's plans was one for the overthrow of the Venezu- elan government. And if he did not succeed in that. he said he would campaign against, the ad- mfnistration at Washington in the hope of {; electfng an American president who would give him what he insisted was mere jus- tice. Aoe.
 Soft spoken and unobtrusive In manner, not highly cultured. Welch has camped on the State Department steps. He has inter- viewed dozens of members Of Congress and caused introduction of legislation for, investigation of his case and of our relations with Venezuela. He knew every newspaperman in town. He helped Venezuelan exiles get hundreds of columns of publicity adverse to have helped him get evidence.
 CAxnrrnr Hua1r TAn0 nf TnntQt. ana enlisted and promising to raise cain about the welch case. used as important ammunition in his campaign last year Welch's charges that Joseph E. Ransdell, U. 8. senator from Louisiana, hadn't been active in his behalf. Welch bombarded the country's most prominent citizens with let ters requesting aid. Lately he is- sued at his own expense large. H. lustrated four-page monthly bulle- tins containing all the latest news and opinions about the Welch case. Recently he picketed the White House steps, wearing 100- pound leg irons such as are at tached to Venezuelan olittcal pris- oners. s".
 Welch attracted so much pub licity and sympathy everywhere that the Venezuelan minister is- sued at his own expense large H. ing Venezuela and her courts against his charges then adver- tised in the New York Spanish press that Venezuelans who helped Welch were subject to long imprisonment at home. The State Department issued a detailed pub iication denying that 1t had re- fused Weich justice and protection because Venezuela had been so nice. to our big oil companies. It asserted that Welch had had due process of law.
 whatever, the technical points of Venezuelan and international law may be. here is. briefly, the story of Welch. the champion lob-,
 Weich was in the oil business in Mexico and Colombia and went to Venezuela as 'e Standard oil held superintendent in 1922. Then he began to drill oil and water wells and made $5o.0oo a year. In 1928 he met Anita Salazar. daughter of a judge at Maracay, where he. had been called by President Gomez to drill water wells. Their religions differed and they entered common law mar riage. Tn October. 1929. arrived Irma Francisca Weich, the child for whom Weich has been fighting all this time.
 Weich went on bushes sto Car acas. military. official. purioined the beautiful Anita, and baby Irrna was left with her evnezuelas' grandmother. Weich returned, seized the child and went away from there. He was arrested eyi houte, charged with Kidnapping on the grandmother's instance, re. turned to the state of Bolivar and imprisoned there. Welch says the governor of Bolivar was his en. emy and the grandmother sought toa keep Irna as a meal ticket. The chief of police and IA poidiers