Evening star., 1935-05-14
PROBE Of FARLEY
|SvOTED DOWNBY
SENATE, G. TO 70
Ballot Taken After Long
Offers New Affidavit AC.
cusing Postal Head.
MOVE TO RECONSIDER
IS QUICKLY SPIKED
Wheeler Is Lone Democrat on
Record for Inquiry-Rifing
of Files Charged.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
By a vote of 62 to 20, the Senate
today defeated the resolution calling
for investigation of Postmaster General
Farley, as proposed by Senator Long.
Democrat, of Louisiana, antagonist OF
the Roosevelt administration.
Only one other Democrat supported
Longs resolution-SenatorW Wheeler OF
Montana, who was paired for it.
The resolution was defeated after
the Louisiana Senator had introduced
a second affidavit in his campaign
against the Postmaster General and
Chairman Mcclellan of the Post Office
Committee, which had adversely re-
ported the resolution. had asserted
Long was trying to destroy the
character of a man who doesn't agree
with him"
Long had charged Farley, who also
Is chairman OF the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, with seven specific
acts of alleged wrongdoing, including
the use of his influence to change
Government contracts with private
firms and of beneftting indirectly
through public works jobs.
Reconsideration Defeated.
In a last-minute switch in an effort
10 keep his resolution alive, Long
changed his vote from aye to no, plan
ming to move a reconsideration OF the
vote by which the resolution was
turned down.
Senator Robinson of Arkansas,
Democratic leader, was too quick for
him, however. AS soon as the Vice
President announced the result OF the
vote, Robinson was on his feet moving
a reconsideration of the vote. Senator
McKellar promptly moved to lay
Senator Robinsons motion on the
table. The McKellar motion then was
adopted vive voce, removing all chance
of Longs doing anything about this
particular resolution.
Two Republicans. Senators Borah OF
Idaho and Johnson of California,
voted against the Long resolution.
Senator Borah, in speech IN the
Senate yesterday. had insisted that the
Senate would not be justified in con-
Quoting an investigation of a cabinet
officer unless it were for the purpose
of legislation. The Long resolution
was merely to investigate the personal
acts of Farley and had nothing to do
with legislation, Borah said.
Resolution Amended.
This brought an amendment to the
resolution offered by Long and &C
cepted today by the Senate. This
amendment sought to show the in
vestigation was for the purpose OF
determining whether a law should
be passed preventing a national chair
man of a political party from hold
ing a cabinet Office. The amendment,
however, apparently did not satisfy
Borah.
The 20 Senators who were recorded
as voting for the investigation were
all Republicans except Senator La
Toilette of Wisconsin, Progressive.
Senator Norris of Nebraska, who has
frequently insisted that Farley either
should give up his national chairman
ship or his job as Postmaster Gen.
eral. voted for the investigation.
The roll call showed SO Democrats,
2 Republicans and l Farmer-Laborite,
Shipstead of Minnesota, voting against
the resolution. Included in the SO
Democrats was Long. who had
changed his vote.
McCarran Against 1t.
Senator Wheeler, the other Demo-
crat who announced his support of
the resolution, was paired with Sen
ator King Of Utah, who is absent.
Senator McCarran, Democrat, OF
Nevada, who yesterday urged the Sen
ate to conduct the investigation so as
to clear Farley and the Democratic
party, voted mo" on the roll call. The
vote showed the Senate dividing al
most strictly along party lines.
The vote today clim2xed heated
debate between Long and McKellar.
The Senate met at II am. today, an
hour earlier than usual, with the
understanding that a vote would be
taken on the resolution at 1890
o'clock.
The affidavit which Long produced
today was signed by Miss Lottie Koch,
a former employe of James A. Stewart
81 Co. She charged that A. M. Stew
art had called upon her to bring all
the letters on file from Farley In
1884 when there was talk of Federal
Investigators going into the files.
Miss Koch was employed by the COM
pany as file clerk from 1918 to No.
vember, 1884.
Miss Koch stated that she knew
Mrs. Helen Humphreys, former tele-
phone operator in the employ of
Stewart & Co., whose affidavit was
presented by Senator Long yesterday.
May Call Witnesses.
The Post Off1ce Committee of the
Senate may yet call Miss Koch and
Mrs. Humphreys and question them
about the afhdavits they gave Senator
Long.
Senator McCarran explained he had
voted against the passage OF the Long
resolution because:
my understanding is that the Post
ONCE Committee intends to call those
women who made the affidavit before
It and question them. I certainly
would not believe they would allow
these affidavits to 60 uninvestigated.
That's the reason voted no."
Senator Connally Of Texas, strong
supporter of the administration, said,
ST think the committee ought to call
those women in and sweat them out. !"
The valedictory on his resolution
was pronounced by Senator Long after
the vote had been taken. He said
that he had taken the customary step
so that he could move reconsidera-
tion of the vote by which the resolu-
ton was turned down, when he
changed his vote from aye to no.
Ordinarily the sponsor OF q reso-
luton makes the motion to recopi
|sider," said Senator Long. "But I az
CONTINUED on Page 3, Column g.