Evening star., 1935-11-03

tee to look into the Associated's latest
the inquiry is resumed, but the latest
development in connection with the
North American, according to William
H. Collins, committee counsel. is ex-
pected to bring this to the attention
of the Investigators.
Howard c. Hopson. reputed master
mind" Of the Associated, who last
Summer eluded process servers of both
the House and Senate Lobby Commit
tees for several weeks, Is to be the first
witness called by the committee wnen
the inquiry is renewed.
Income Quiz Slated.
HopSon is to be returned to the wit
ness stand primarily to answer ques-
tions about his personal income and
the names of the banks from which the
Associated borrowed 81 1.000,0 900 to fight
the utilities bill. Collins said he also
would be questioned about his CON-
pany's latest acquisition-the Virginia
Public Service Co.-which vitality af-
fects sections of nearby Virginia, espe-
cially Arlington and Fairfax Counties.
The Associated took over control of
the Virginia Public Service Co. about
six weeks ago by purchase of the
common stock from the Chase Ma
move it became a competitor Of the
Braddock Light & Power Co., sub
sidiary of the Potomac Electric Power
Co, which supplies a small section of
Arlington County with electricity.
The committee Is expected to 60
deeply into the details of Associated's
purchase of the Virginia company and
the reason for its expansion into a
new territory-information which has
not yet been made public.
ID. C. To Watch Probe.
Developments during the investiga-
tion of the Associated's acquisition of
the Virginia utility will be watched
closely by the District Public Utilities
Commission as well as the Public Util-
tiles Commission of Arlington County
IN view of q move initiated more
than a year ago to have the Potomac
Electric Power Co. extend its serv-
ice throughout Arlington County. The
District commission also is interested
because the Chase National Bank,
from which Associated purchased the
common stock of the Virginia COM
pany. controls indirectly the stock of
the Washington, Georgetown. RoSslyn
and Alexandria gas companies.
-1opson has been excused as q wit
ness before the Senate Lobby Com
mittee. but at the time the House
Committee released him it was under
stood he was to be recalled to testify
regarding his personal income and
other financial matters. The COM
nittee told him at that time it wanted
o complete statement OF his income
from the time he set out to develop
the Associated into one of the coun-
try's largest utility holding companies,
as well as detailed statement show
ing the names Of the banks from
which it borrowed the $1,000,00o and
how it was expended.
The Senate Committee endeavored
to show Hopson and J. I. Mango,
president Of the Associated, received
$29, 100000 over q 13-year period.
Hopson, however. repeatedly referred
these earnings as mere paper
profits. and insisted they had been
reinvested in the securities of the
company and subsequently Debated to
a small portion Of their original value
in the stock market crash of 1929
After the committee finishes its in
vestigation of the Associated. it plans
to turn to several other large utility
holding companies which took part in
the intensive fight to defeat the
Wheeler -Rayburn bill.