Evening star., 1935-07-31
BELIEF IN NUD|SM
DENIED BY CRAMER.
Use of Name Unauthorized,
New Isle Governor Says
on Stand.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Confronted with an Illustrated book
on nudism, Lawrence w. Cramer,
newly-appointed Governor of the Vir-
gin Islands, emphatically denied be-
fore the Senate Territories Committee
yesterday that he believed in nudism
while admitting the book was written
IN his home.
The book was waved in front Of
Cramer by Senator Metcalf, Republic
an of Rhode Island, who asked II ne
believed in nudism. The 37-year-old
former Governor of st. Croix replied
with emphasis:
mo, sir; did not"
Then why is your name mentioned
In the foreword of the book?" Metcalf
asked, amid general laughter.
Offers Explanation.
Cramer, asked by Senator Tydings,
Democrat, of Maryland, Territories
Committee, to appear in defense of
his qualifications as Governor, said he
could explain that.
II have known the people who wrote
that book for many years" he SAID IN
a clear voice "They went to Europe
to write about labor conditions and on
their return they stayed at our apart
ment in New York, and wrote the book
there, without asking our consent for
the use of our names"
The foreword was read into the
record by Senator Metcalf. Signed by
Frances and Mason Merrill, authors
of the book Among the NudiSts," 1t
said:
I'VE wish to express our gratitude
to John T. Flynn for invaluable ad-
vice regarding our manuscript and to
(Mrs.) Aline and Lawrence Cramer
ior assistance and for moral encour-
agement in facing the disgrace Of
this scandalous public confession.
"The only thing we did," said Cra-
mer, was to criticize the philosophy
that people could fix up the world by
taking their clothes off. never in
dorsed the book"
Never in Nudist Camp.
He said he was mot nudiSt, never
had been a nudist, never been in a
nudist camp and don't want to be-"
Amid more general laughter the
subject was dropped.
Tydings dipped into evidence COL
lected in connection with maladmin-
istration charges against former Gov.
Paul M. Pearson and brought forth
the names of James c. Tiley former
commissioner of public works in the
islands, and that of Horatio Nelson
Mackenzie, assistant works commits
sioner for St. Croix. He asked Cramer
what he thought of them.
Cramer described Mackenzie as a
reputable sort of person" who lived
in st. Croix. He also Endorsed Tiley.
Tydings then produced copies of
letters purported to have been written
by Mackenzie to Tiley while the lat
ter was recuperating in Pennsylvania
from an illness. They were addressed
to Dear Chief" and signed Mack" :"
Concern Homestead Buildings.
One of them concerned auxiliary
homestead structures built at Gov
ernment expense costing $55, over
which Mackenzie said his excellency
nearly had a fit" They brought down
the price to S32 according to the
Mackenzie letter from which Tyd-
ing quoted:
''r And (whisper) we'll make
them for SIS at most so long as the
junk pile and galvanized iron holds
out. We can creep ahead a little on
that
Now, does that change your opin-
ion of Mackenzie any?" Senator Tyd-
ings demanded of Cramer.
mo, sir, it does not" replied
Cramer, asserting he still believed
Mackenzie was IAN honorable man."
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah
broke in:
Would you retain Mackenzie
If you were. confirmed as GOVERNOR"
Yes" said Cramer, unless 1 had
reason not to do so further than I
have now"