Evening star., 1933-10-02
EFFORT TO DICTATE
PROBERS REVEALED
Ocean Mail Investigators
DeIve Into Propaganda
of Ship Owners.
By the Associated Press.

Of the American Steamship Owners
Association sought to get certain"
Senators appointed to the Ocean and
Air Mail Contract Investigation Com
mittee was placed before the Senate
investigators today as they delved into
propaganda activities of the steamship
operators
Senator Black, Democrat. of Ala
bama, chairman, and Senator Nc
.Carran, Democrat, Of Nevada. placed
the records before the Ocean and Air
Mail Contract Investigating Committee
while questioning r. j. Beir OF New
York, secretarytreasurer of the steam
ship association.
Baker said he did not know Of such
activities, but Black read letter from
Edwin H. Duff, Washington representa-
tive of the association, dated March 9,
1888, saving he hoped certain Sen
ator would be chairman of commerce
and that he was trying to get
couple of members on the investigating
Committee.
Interprets Letter.
Baker construed the letter as indi-
eating a desire to have some one from
the Commerce Committee on the In
nuirv Committee 80 We would have
some one on it who knew something
about the merchant marine.
The Senate Commerce Committee
handles Shipping Board and mercnant
marine legislation.
The committee developed from the
witness that the steamship association
last year expended large sums through
allied interior groups to COMBAT crltl.
cism of the Governments merchant
marine program about the time OF the
move In Congress to withdraw all Fed
eral assistance through mail contracts.
It also brought out the association
turned down a request for 100000 In
1880 from the American Farm Bureau
Federation to help in the merchant
marine propaganda drive.
Baker said mot one penny" was
furnished the Farm Bureau because
the steamship association did not be.
Ieye thev could be Of any material
help.
Powerful Lobby" Cited.
McCarran read correspondence dated
November 6, 1880. which quoted the
>late II B. Walker, then president OF the
association. as informing Chairman
Tomlinson of the association that MT
Van Patten of the Farm Bureau would
appear to outline the bureaus request.
The correspondence quoted Van Pat
ten. in outlining the advantages 10
which the money could be put, as say,
ing the Farm Bureau had a powerful
lobby in washington" and was working
for the powerful electric, lumber, brass
and Portland cement associations ana
the National Automobile Chamber OF
Commerce.
Did you take up with these asoscla.
tions to find out if that was true?
Black asked.
YES" Baker replied.
Baker said under questioning the
association did circularize its members
to see If they wanted to make the con-
tribution to the Farm Bureau and 1t
was probably true" the circular ap-
proved of it In principle. But, he ADDED,
the association never had any serious
intention of making 1t.
Writing Identified.
did the Grace Line offer $500 If
the others came IMP" asked McCarran.
THAT may be true" the witness said.
McCarran had Baker identity the
handwriting of Walker on memoran-
dunn quoting Van Patten as mentioning
the powerful lobby"
The Nevadan also read record OF
telephone conversation March l6 last
between Duff and the witness in which
the former said the ocean mail sltua-
ton in the Senate was very precarlous
and suggested the association name
committee to have President Roosevelt
do something about 1t.
At this time Senator Mcclellan, DEM
ocrat, of Tennessee, was very active IN
his anti-subsidy drive and succeeded Tor
a time in withholding all appropriations
for ocean mail transportation.
Duff also was quoted as having told
Baker there were Large number OF
new members (in the Senate) who were
going to take guidance from the olo
fellows"
Baker could not recall details OF the
conversation, but said he reserved the
right to tell the Senators his views on
"a certain subject"
Names Withheld.
McCarran read another letter dated
March 13, last. from Baker to Dun
which referred to member OF the Sen.
ate Investigating Committee VINO "ouio
probably be a help. .,-
The name of the Senator was with
held from the record as were the names
of those mentioned in the correspon-
dence that the steamship owners were
trying to have named to the Commerce
and the Inquiry Committees.
McCarran refused to give the names
to newspaper men after the session con-
cluded for the morning.
There Is nothing sensational IN II,
he said, land making public the names
might easily be misconstrued.
A letter dated March IA last from
Duff to Baker said Duff thought the
Investigating Committee personnel was
"about as good as could be expected,
as BLACK was chairman and one OF the
Republican members is White"
The White referred to Is Senator
White, Republican. of Maine, co-author
of the Jones-White merchant marine
act. He has not attended any OF the
Investigating Committees sessions SO
far.
The propaganda phase of the in
quiry, decided upon Friday at the close
of the first week of hearings, had its
inception in the testimony Of former
school teacher employed by the steam
ship association.
The former teacher, Mrs. Clara w.
McQuown. told the committee she was
employed at salary OF 5000 a week.
While serving the association. she tes-
tified. she was authorized to lecture
by Chairman H. 1. Cone of the United
fota Ch{nninn p0aYH