Evening star., 1933-12-01
.cOUGHL|N IS FIRM !
IN SMITH CHARGE
Refuses to RetraCt State.
ment on Financing of En-
pire State Building.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
DETROIT, December 1.-Rev. Father
Charles E. Coughlin, militant priest, re.
iterated today that "I have nothing
nothing" in connection with his state
ment early this week that Alfred z.
Smith had approached the House o.
Morgan for a loan in financing the
Empire State Building.
Father Coughlins reiteration came in
Rasccb, one of the dnanciers of the
building, who said all arrangements for
financing had been made before Smith
became connected with the building and
asked an apology from the priest.
Talked to Bishop.
Not later than an hour ago" said
Father Coughlin, "I talked with the
bishop Of the Roman Catholic Church
who accompanied Smith on his trip
from the Empire State Building to the
house Of Morgan, at Wall and Broad
streets. This bishop had Just read
Raskob's statement.
Stick to your guns-retract nothing
the bishop counseled me. Nothing you
said last Sunday was outside the facts
as they happened in my presence. Soon
er or later Mr.. Smith will come to
recall the incident
Beyond this I do not care to say
anything in answer TO Raskob."
The priest had stated in his address
in New York that Smith was accom-
panied to the Morgan Office by "a
bishop and another clergyman"
Raskob last night said arrangements
for financing the building were made
before former Gov Smith became con-
nected with the building.
Coughlinis original statement was
made in an address broadcast last Sun
day night over an independent hook-up
and amplified during an address in New
York, defending the monetary policies
of President Roosevelt, which Smith
had criticized
MY purpose for making it." Father
Coughlin said last night. lis simply to
show that Alfred E. Smith is banking
minded"
Raskobs statement was sent here
from his home at Princess Anne, Md
His statement said:
The character and reputation Of the
Hon Alfred E. Smith and of Mr.. j. p.
Morgan and his partners need no de-
tense But the public deserves to have
the record straight, and by reason Of
the lie given to former Gov Smiths
statement by the Rev. Charles E.
Coughlin of Detroit. it becomes my duty
to issue this simple statement of fact.
Arrangements for financing the erec-
ton of the Empire State Building we're
made before ex-Gov. Smith became
connected with the building company
and he had no part whatever in these
financial negotiations.
NO Securities Offered
II personally negotiated the first
mortgage loan with Mr.. Frederick Ecker,
president of the Metropolitan Life In
surance Co. Of New York. The balance
of the money required to erect the
building was supplied by the owners.
No securities Of any kind were ever
offered or sold to the public. and except
for the first mortgage all Empire State
securities are still held by the owners
of the building. At no time were the
partners of P. Morgan g. Co. or any
other bank. bankers or brokers or others
ever approached or consulted. nor were
any negotiations ever carried on with
them in connection with this financing
at that or any, other time.
Il hope that with this clear state
ment of fact before him, Father Cough
lin will accord eX-Gov. Smith the
apology due him. Failure to do so as
quickly and graciously as possible is
bound to destroy that sense of security
which his public has a right to expect
in the honesty and integrity of q leader
of thought who commands the atten-
ton of the large audience Father
Coughlin enjoys"