Evening star., 1934-04-28
UTILITY ACTIVITIES
LINKED TO HOOVER
Testimony That He Aided
Pamphlet Publication
Given at Hearing.

BY the Associated Press.
The Federal Trade Commission had
before it today testimony that former
President Hoover while Secretary OF
Commerce asked that a pro-utilities
pamphlet be rushed through"
The man who gave that testimony
Samuel S. Wyer. added. however, that
there was nothing under the sun
wrong with Mr.. Hoover's request.
The testimony. part of a report
from a Pennsylvania utilities hearing
was included in the commission S
bulky record Of its inquiry into the
financial set-up and practices of elec-
trio companies, ordered in 1928 by the
Senate.
Taft's Aid Sought.
Also a part of the Pennsylvania
report. dealing with an unidentified
investigation in that State, was testi-
I-.ony that a utilities executive sought
the aid of Chief Justice Taft in
having the Smithsonian Institution
reprint a pamphlet in which the
utility was interested No evidence
was shown that the effort to enlist
Mr.. Taft's aid was successful.
The pamphlet. written by Wyer, was
entitled Niagara Falls: Its Power
Possibilities and Preservation
The report was put into the record
by w. T Chantland, counsel for the
commission.
Other evidence given the commits
sion purported to show that a utilities
executive also sought the aid of Mr.
Taft's brother Charles Taft, and OF
James Francis Burke, late counsel OF
the Republican National Committee.
In the Pennsylvania report. Wyer
was quoted as saying the pamphlet
would not have been printed for sc
days had not Mr. Hoover interveneo
to get it done quickly because of its
effect, undescribed by the witness, or
the st. Lawrence waterway project, ir
which the former President was sale
to be interested. Wyer was witness
at yesterdays hearing.
Wyer Pamphlet Assailed.
The Wyer pamphlet has been as.
/ sailed several times by other witnesse:
and was the subject of considerable
controversy because of its first publ.
cation by the Smithsonian Institution
The institutions imprint was said by
the critics to give the appearance thai
a governmental body indorSed the re-
port.
The Tafts and Burke we're men.
toned in letters by Wyer and A. w
! Thompson, president of the Philadel-
| phia Co. of Pittsburgh. discussing q
memorandum by Wyer, dated January
Is, 1925, urging that the Smithsonian
reprint the pamphlet. Smithsonian
did not reprint it. although it was
later printed privately.
Thompson sent the memorandum to
Burke and suggested that Burke give
it to Charles Taft, with the idea OF
getting it before his brother Cthe Chief
JUSTICE. who is chancellor of the
Smithsonian Institution"
Mr.. Hoover was brought into the
Pennsylvania testimony when Wyer
was asked to name the cabinet officer
who wanted the pamphlet rushed
through"
Il am perfectly willing to answer
that question if the chairman will as
sumo responsibility. Wyer replied
Who was the cabinet oficer?"
Il must decline to answer that, un.
less you assume the responsibility.
Il will assume it,
"All right. Mr. Hoover"
Asked why there should be any
hesitancy in answering the question
| Wyer said:
For the simple reason that there
are a lot of people who are trying tt
make political capital out of what wa.
perfectly normal thing"