The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-08-09
REFUSE TOPERMIT
PUBLIC HEARINCON
CHARGES BY SCION
Investigating Committee Says
It Wants to Do All Its
Work Secretly
SENATOR ISSUES CHALLENGE
Will Be Glad to Appear Again
and Substantiate Charges
Of Graft, He Says


house committee appointed to "inves-
tigate" the record Of ex-governor Will
lam LANCER. wanted very much to
hear from Senator Gerald p. Nye.
The senator had made charges Of
graft in the LANCER administration
and the committee wanted HMM
fact practically dared him-to appear
and sukstantiate them.
But Wednesday afternoon, when
Nye did appear, the committeeman
demanded that anything he had to
say be offered in executive session.
Nye refused on the ground that he
preferred to say what he had to say
publicly. An impasse resulted and
Nye, who apparently was prepared to
substantiate his charges, left the room
without performing his mission.
It was as funny piece Of political
by-play as North Dakota has seen in
weeks and constituted q tightening
contrast with the more serious devel-
opments Of the last month.
Earlier Wednesday Nye had told
newsmen he would not participate in
any star chamber" session and re-
porters were on hand to hear the
proceedings. Members Of the SUBJ
committee, appointed to conduct the
investigation by the general commit
tee OF Is, were on hand when the re-
porters arrived. They were H. T. Pet
erson Of Mountral county, chairman:
w. j. Flanagan, Jamestown; w. B.
Falconer, Bismarck, and w. J. God-
win, Mandan. good LANCER men all.
dan, Is counsel for the group.
Use Defense Fund Room
The room used by the committee for
its session was that Of the LANCER
Defense Fund committee on the fourth
floor of the Patterson hotel.
Nye, who had been asked to appear
at $3.50 p. m, sat In his room two
doors away as the reporters gathered
for the hearing
Before Nye appeared Hanley and
Peterson went into huddle which
ended with Hanley announcing I'VE
have decided this will be an execu-
tive meeting. All others will please
step from the room. This order in
cludes newspapermen.'
Passing the newshawks in the hotel
corridor, Nye learned of the situation
as he approached the committeeman,
left the door open as he entered. The
newsmen stood in the doorway to hear
the fun.
It began when Flanagan informed
Nye that the meeting was to be q
secret one.
II am sorry" replied Nye. If that
I believe it would be only fair to have
the meeting open. With all due def
erence to the committee and each Of
you as members, do not wish to take
part in any proceeding unless 1t is
IN open one"
flanagan expostulated: "But II you
have evidence concerning any par
ticular persons, 1t would hamper the
committee in its investigations. II
evidence produced here were to get
into the press and Lefore the public,
It would be serving notice on those in
volved."
wye 8A10WCS W0O W4AAL udVc W
say to you today viii not jeopardize
any investigation you are making. I
must insist that the meeting be an
open one or shall have to leave"
Lets Cat Dat Of Nag
Whereupon Peterson let the cat out
Of the bag. He was sorry. he said, but
the sub committee had agreed that IL
would give out no news except through
its chairman (himselO and in addi-
ton It had made an agreement with
the entire committee that nothing
would be made public until after 1t
had been reviewed by the entire COM
mittee. This fact, he said, placed the
sub committee in m embarrassing
position.
Continued on Page Two)