Evening star., 1935-08-07
LOBBY ACTIVITY
LAID TO HURLEY
AND Up. TUMULTY
Senate Testimony Brings
Denial by Both OF
Accused.
H0PS0N WHEREABOUTS
REMAINS UNSOLVED
Former Secretary of War I'm
aware of Witness Hiding
Place. He Says.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

BY ]. A. O'LEAR1.
Testimony that former Secretary OF
War Patrick J. Hurley and Joseph P.
Tumulty, former secretary to the late
President Wilson, were engaged as at
torneys by utility companies in con-
nection with the holding company bill
was given to the Senate Lobby Com
mittee today, but both lawyers denied
they did any lobbying, insisting they
had performed only professional legal
services.
For more than an hour Hurley and
members of the committee staged a
constant battle of wits, which ranged
from heated exchanges to humorous
repartee, which relieved the tension
and entertained the audience.
Hopson Whereabouts.
Hurley told the committee he had
no information as to the whereabouts
of H. c. Hopson, the utility man
whom House and Senate Lobby Com
mittees have been trying without sue
cess to locate, to summon him as a
witness. The former War Secretary
insisted throughout his testimony that
he was attorney only for the As
sociated Gas & Electric Co.. and not
for Mr.. Hopson or the latters pri-
vate interests. He said he has not
seen Hopson since March or April.
Tumulty told the committee he had
been retained by several different
companies and received a total of
S33,500 for his legal work on the
Wheeler-Rayburn bill. In response to
questions, Tumulty said he called in
as consultants with him in the work,
T. T. Ansberry, an attorney with
Offices here; Attorney John Walsh. a
brother of the late Senator Thomas
F. Walsh of Montana. and former
Senator George H. Moses of New
Hampshire. The witness said he paid
Judge Ansberry s2,500 and Senator
Moses. $4,000. He said he has not
yet discussed the question of COM
pensation with Walsh, who is away,
but that he expects to pay him s2,5O0.
A. G. & E. Co. Counsel.
Hurley's testimony showed that he
has been retained as counsel by the
A. G. & E. Co. at various times
over period of several years and that
the fees his law firm has received
over the entire period amounted to
100000. OF this amount, he testi-
fed. $4,000 was in connection with
the services he rendered in presenting
the views and defending the rights of
the company and its investors on
holding company legislation.
Tumulty insisted Ansberry, Walsh
and Moses assisted him only as ad-
visers and were not employed to try
to influence the action of Congress
on the legislation.
The verbal clashes which marked
the early part of Hurleys testimony
resulted from efforts of committee
members to ask him about the affairs
of Hopson. The witness kept insisting
that his work had been for the A. G.
& E. Co. and that he had nothing to
do with Mr.. Hopson'S private inter-
ests.
Near the close of his testimony Sen
ator Gibson Republican, of Vermont.
told Mr.. Hurley he understood his
testimony to mean the former Secre-
tary of War had not done any lobby
ing.
Influence Belittled.
Hurley replied that was correct, add
Ing, Why, my influence with this
Congress would not be worth a nickel
to any one"
You do not think you are under
estimating your influence with Con-
greSs, do you?" Chairman Black in
quired with a smile The chairman
said there was still number of Re-
publicans in Congress and that one
more was elected in Rhode Island
yesterday.
Senator Gibson replied by predict
Ing there would be more coming later.
The committee room was thrown
Into laughter when Mr.. Hurley arose
from his chair at the close of mis- testi-
mony and asked permission to express
some of his views on legislative prin-
cipleS generally. AS the tall; neatly
dressed former War Secretary began
to speak, with gestures, Chairman
Black said the committee would hear
him briefly if he would promise not to
close oy reciting any poetry. Hurley
said he believed IN regulation of all
activities and believed in limitations
on liberty. but added they should be
proposed and enforced by a free cit
izenship itself"
Earlier in his testimony Hurley had
declared that he had found the utility
holding company bill 70 be unconstitu-
(see LOBBY, Page -