Evening star., 1931-12-31
FALL APPOINTMENT
LAID TO FORGERY
Daugherty Charges in Book
Secretary Got Job With
Faxed Telegram.
Continued From First Page.)

tCOnJllueQ fTOIn fIISG rage
Thomas Dixon. author, in writing the
book, gives his version of virtually
every scandal that was stirred up after
Harding's death and answers each ac-
cusation.
Cites Ancestry Charge.
He brands rumors of Negro blood in
the Harding family as entirely false
and traces the origin of the story, the
World-Telegram said, to name-calling
spat between school children rs years
ago, which wound up with one group
referring to the Presidents ancestors,
then youngsters, as coming from Negro
parentage.
Daugherty calls CASTOR B. Means
book, THE Strange Death Of President
Harding" a colossal hoax" and de-
clares a record Of all persons entering
and leaving the White House showed
Means was never there.
The former Attorney General declares
the American Federation OF Labor was
in plot to get" him for breaking the
railroad strike of 1922 by an injunction.
Hughes once almost slipped into one OF
Harding's congressional messages a
paragraph advocating Americas en-
trance into the League Of Nations.
Mrs. Harding spotted 1t, Daugherty
says, and in frantic haste called the
then Attorney General from meeting
of the Ohio Society.
Daugherty tells of pencilling in a
substitute paragraph. He says the
President refused to make the change
and he went with Senator Weeks to
the Capitol expecting Harding to end
the supremacy of the Republicans by
a League Endorsement They were sur
prised and overjoyed when the President
read paugherty's paragraph and they
felt the party had been saved.
Records Were Destroyed.
Dixon said the book describes how
Daugherty took action to prevent the |
revelation of names of important firms
headed by Democrats, which had con-
tributed to the Republican campaign
fund. He said these contributions were
recorded in the Jess Smith extra" ac-
count in the Midland Bank in Wash !
ington.
The records were destroyed by Col.
Thomas w Miller, then alien property
custodian, Daugherty says, to protect
the campaign contributors and not to
conceal the transactions.
The book also is said to criticize
President Hoover'S lack of taste" in
attacking the betrayers" of Harding
at the dedication of the Harding Me-
mortal in Ohio.
Nan Britton Claim Denied.
Nan Britton's claim that she bore
daughter to President Harding Is at
tackled, Dixon said, on the ground Miss
Britton has not a single written line |
from Harding. 1t also is claimed the !
late President had such love Of chill
dren he would have remembered his
daughter in his will, If Miss Britton's |
claim had been true.
According to the publishers an
nouncement, Daugherty claims he was
responsible for saving President Hoo
yer for the cabinet in the face Of Wig
orous opposition.
Il found on arrival" Daugherty
writes, that the opposition to Hoover's
confirmation as Secretary Of Com
merce was organized and militant. |
They had the majority Of the Senate |
enrolled and could block Hoover's con-
f1rmation.
Il went and played my trump card |
I knew Philander Knox and Boise Pen |
rose were the most powerful men in the |
Senate and that Johnston, who hated |
Hoover, and Henry Cabot Lodge would |
In any position they would take in |
opposition to this appointment.
Called Penrose In.
Il took the bull by the horns with
out delay I asked Senator Knox to |
breakfast with me. AS he was the man |
who had forced me into the cabinet, l |
felt had the right to talk turkey with
him. He called Penrose to his room
and the three of us began battle
royal that lasted more than two hours.
"Penrose was quick to catch my ulti-
matum-no Hoover, no Mellon. Old |
hand:
"'All right, you win. Announce Mel
Ions appointment and I will kill the |
movement to reject Hoover"
Referring to his resignation, Daugh- |
erty will say, according to the pub |
fishers: /
Two distinguished Senators of my
own party called on Mr.. Coolidge and |
asked for my head-Lodge Of MasSachu- |!
sets and George Wharton Pepper of
Pennsylvania.
WN6n men ltdQ an dIJdCk 50 uIlJIbL |
and unreasonable against a public Off |
cial, 1t is safe bet that their patriotism |
has been stirred to action by personal |
grudge of some kind.
Lodge Grudge Charged.
I'm this case I had no difficulty in |
locating the trouble. Senator Lodge |
had become highly incenSed against me |
because 1 had asked for the resigna-
ton of friend of his in Boston who |
was rattling around in the office of the
United States district attorney.
He was accompanied by Pepper |
whom had mortally offended by |
turning down as a candidate for solici- |
tor general in favor of James M Beck. |
Pepper was a pigmy compared to Beck |
and would have nothing of him.
LAS the next assault on me reached |
its climax, man of bigger brains and |
personality dealt me a vicious blow, !
Senator Borah went to Mr.. Coolidge !
and urged that he ask for my reSigna-
ton l was, of course, not surprised at |
this, remembering the weakness of |
human nature. I had killed his resolu- |
ton asking for the recognition OF
Soviet Russia as a matter of principle"
The book denies the story in
"Revelry" by Samuel Hopkins Adams, |
that Marines were used to ouSt a
family in Texas for the benefit Of a
public Official The Marines, Dixon said
the book would state, were used only
to oust Col. James G. Dardon from
Teapot Dome land This land, Dixon !
said, was then turned over to Harry
Sinclair.