The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-12
SENATE MAY BE
QUESTIONED ON
SHEARER PROBE
Demand May Come With
Nye Resolution to Check
Munitions Trust.
BY MARSHALL M'NEIL
Times staff Writer

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12-Demand
for an explanation of why a senate
subcommittee never reported on its
inquiry into alleged lobbying &C
tivities of w. B. Shearer at the
Geneva disarmament conference Of
1927 may accompany first hearings
on the resolution of Senator Gerald
P. Nye rep, N. d. to investigate
the munitions trust" he said to-
day.
His resolution, broad enough to
permit a committee to delve into all
details of munitions manufacture
and profits and alleged propaganda
by these interests, has been referred
to the senate foreign relations COM
mittee. But the chairman of this
group, Senator Key Pittman Dem,
New. is doubtful whether his COM
mittee or some other has juriSdic-
ton.
Senator Nye says he will ask Sem
ator Pitman to permit a hearing
on the resolution itself before the
committee decides upon it's DISPOSE
ton. The Shearer matter may come
up at this time.
Shearer Seen in Capitol
The Nye resolution comes before
the foreign relations committee just
as the senate is endeavoring to de-
termine whether it Will make the
big navy" bill its unfinished bust
ness. This bill, as reported from the
naval affairs committee, provides
for a curb on the profits of ship
building and aircraft companies and
permits the government to examine
the books of all Steel aircraft and
shipbuilding concerns with which it
has contracts.
Senator Nye said that he had re-
Gently seen Mr.. Shearer about the
capitol, but did not know what bust
ness he was on.
After the breakup of the Geneva |
disarmament conference the senate !
appointed a subcommittee to inveS- |
tigate charges of big navy" lobby
ing at that meeting. Mr.. Shearer,
who was said to have been en-
ployed by three shipbuilding COM
panies, was brought into the in
quiry. He gained then the nick
name of the big bass drum" BY |
some of the witnesses his activities |
u-pra hold y.oc,oO,,ciI,1o fo,- tI,o fo;I,,-.
Of the conference.
Report Allegedly Suppressed
Senator Sad Sam" Shortridge.
the tall Eucalyptus from Cali
fOrnia." who was chairman of the
investigating committee. was quoted
in 1880 as saying the "Shearer in
cident is a closed book"
In the spring of 1882 Mr.. Shearer
was quoted as saying that the re-
port everybody expected from SEN
atOr Shortridge had been suppressed
because it would involve Andrew
Mellow, then President Hoover's
ambassador to Great Britain. and
Henry NJ. Robinson. a personal
BCASOAldl 14ACllQ VI MI. I1OOkeI >.
If Senator Nye wins the right to
investigate the munitions trust"
he hopes the senate will 60 first into
the operations of steel companies
and the armament manufacturers;
then the aircraft building COM
panieS and the armament manu-
facturers; then the aircraft build
ing companies, and the shipbuilding
concerns.
Attorney General Consulted
Preparing for the inquiry. he has
written Attorney General Homer S. /
Cummins. he said, inquiring if it is
true that the Du Pont interests have
bought heavily into the Bethlehem
Steel Company and if so. whether
the antitrust laws would affect
such a deal.
In addition to investigating all
phases of munitions manufacture
and sales of arms to foreign ma
tons. Senator Nye wants the COM
mittee. if appointed. to determine
the adequacy or inadequacy Of
treaties to which the United States
is a party governing international
traffic in arms.
Qofoil HooI prinoc