Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-09
BREWSTER CALLS
.C0RCORAN liar"
.0N QUODDY DENIAL
House Inquiry Into Threat
Charge Is Thrown Into
Confusion.
REPRESENTATIVE SAYS
THEY MET IN CAPITOL
R. F. c. Lawyer Told Him to Vote
for Death Sentence" or Lose
Dam, He Repeats.

BY the Associated Press.
Representative Brewster, Republic
an, of Maine, threw the House Rules
Committee utilities lobby investiga-
ton into a momentary uproar just
before the close of its first hearing
today when he shouted, You're a
liar" at Thomas Corcoran, R. F. C.
attorney, who was on the stand.
Corcoran had just described as
''baseless" an assertion by Brewster
a former Maine Governor, that the
R. F. c. attorney had threatened to
stop work on the Passamaquoddy tide
harnessing project if the Representa-
tive did not support President Roose-
welt on the utilities bill before the
House.
Concluding a long recitation Of his
ernor, Corcoran said that just before
the vote Brewster indicated he not only
would not make a speech for manda-
tory abolition of holding companies
but would not vote for it.
O'Connor Bangs Gavel.
Corcoran said Brewster asked II he
thought it would be all right If just
ducked back to the hotel and not vote
You're a liar" Brewster shouted
from his seat, farther down the CON-
mittee table.
While Chairman OConnor banged
his gavel and admonished the wit
nesses against such outbursts. Cor
coran dismissed Brewster's heated as
sertion with a shake of his head ans
continued:
Il told him to go on In and vote
for I couldn't think any worse Of him
Brewster said Corcoran had threat
ened to stop work on the project II the
presence of DR.. Ernest Gruering, 6i-
rector Of the Interior Department.
territories division. He said Gruer-
ing also had urged him to supper.
President Roosevelt.
Corcoran Prepares Statement.
In a prepared statement Corcoran
set out "a summary Of my entire
relations with Mr.. Brewster"
Here is Corcoran's account Of tE9
disputed conversation:
Il therefore said to Mr. Brewster
in effect. if your peculiar critical po-
sition is so delicate as you say, !
want to make it clear that I am not
accusing you of running out, but that
it is best that you and be brutally
frank now to avoid personal mis-
understanding as to our relations on
'Quoddy' in the future
If, as you say, you are not free
man politically and must take power
company support into your calcula-
tons, then you'll understand perfectly
from now on you can't expect me to
trust you to protect 'Quoddy' or trust
your assurances that we'll get that
Maine Power Authority out Of the
Maine Legislature.
Says Meeting Was Arranged.
''Mr Brewster said he wanted to
see ne and that he was making ar
rangements to see DR.. Ernest Gruen-
ing. 1 told Mr.. Brewster that would
prefer to see him at the same time
that he saw DR.. Gruening so that the
conversation could be 'three-cor-
nered.'"
Talking alternately to DR.. Gruen-
ing and to me, Mr.. Brewster arranged
an appointment with both Of us for
las in Statuary Hall in the Capitol.
The vote was to come between and
$50. I met DR.. Gruening in Stat
uary Hall at 1:40. Mr.. Brewster was
late. He arrived at 2 minutes Of 2,
The vote occurred at 2:l0
Mr.. Brewster then made It clear
to DR.. Gruening and me that he was
not only not going to speak for the
substitution of the Senate sections but
that he was not going to vote for
them. This was the first indication
I had had that he would not even
vote for the amendment.
Says He Said Nothing.
Or Gruening argued with him,
while I stood by saying nothing.
DIR. Gruenings argument in sub
stance was that to refuse to vote for
the Senate amendments would run
contrary not only to the specific ex-
pectations Mr.. Brewster had given
as to his action on the bill, but was
directly contrary to what Mr.. Brew
ster had always agreed upon with Dr..
Gruening as fundamental philosophy
on the power issue"
AS if in answer to intimationS that
the lobby inquiry might be a white
wash, House Rules Committee Chair
man OConnor sought and obtained
last night the approval of the House
for resolution arming the committee
with power to subpoena witnesses. A
request for $4,000 to conduct the in
quiry also is pending.
O'Connor Pledges Full Inquiry.
The earlier resolution had granted
neither funds nor the power of COM
polling testimony. Representative