The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-19

it was presented to the COM
mittee.
The committee is inquiring
into the company's part in the
fight against the utility bill,
including it's activities in 26
states in which it operates.
MIR. Beach testified he telephoned
branch managers IN IA cities, and
told them to destroy records in their
territories.
Mr.. O'Brien told the committee
that he and other witnesses con-
ferred over testimony before it was
said he conferred with r. P. Her.
ron, another lobby committee witt
ness and utility employe, Mr.. Beach
and two attorneys regarding the
testimony to be presented.
One conference, Mr.. O'Brien said,
was at the Philadelphia railroad
station, another in a train COM
I'll IOuUC W w bO4Ae
and third after arrival aere.
Meanwhile, Republican protests
appeared to have scuttled chances
that j. Edgar Hoover's famous De-
partment Of Justice &c" men would
be drawn directly into the inquiry.
Committee Chairman Hugo L. Black
Cd, Ala) was said, however, to
have found way to obtain the
services Of two or three Federal
agents.
Justice Department officials have
promised" to permit several agents
to resign so they could join SEN
ator Blacks staff They probably
would return to the ranks of &C"
men when the inquiry ends.
6. o. r. Forces Procedure
The procedure is necessary, it
was explained, because Republicans
protested it would be impossible to
obtain fair" picture of lobbying"
for and against the legislation if the
committee was permitted to use
services of men regularly employed
by executive departments.
Mr.. Beach. whose Offices are al
Associated headquarters at Ithaca,
N. Y, was summoned after E. w.
O'Brien, Erie, Pa. securities man.
ager, named him as the man who
had organized the campaign in
which the company admitted spend
ing S700, 900 to defeat the utilities
bill.
IF the company followed the
same course elsewhere as it did in
Pennsylvania" Senator Black said
today, 1T would be impossible for
us to determine whether they spent
100000 or $4,000, Oo0."
Move 10 Balk Probe
Mr.. O'Brien, chubby little man
who told of cleaning out" files Of
the Erie office, testified he received
orders directly by telephone from
Mr.. Beach. He said he relayed them
to half a dozen other offices in his
district.
Mr.. Beach told you, didn't he"
Senator Black asked, that he
didn't want the papers accessible IN
case Of an investigations"
Yes" Mr.. O'Brien replied, after q
pause.
Mr.. O'Brien testified Mr.. Beach
ordered all state securities managers
to pay cash for thousands of tele-
grams sent to Senator'S and Repre-
sentatives opposing the holding
company measure. After several
questions relating to the necessity
for such policy, Mr.. O'Brien said
the company didn't want a record
kept Of any checks, adding:
Campaign of Concealment
I'VE we're going around in more
or less quiet way"
Senator Schwellenbach insisted
the companys policy throughout the
campaign was "one of concealment."
Mr.. O'Brien refused to agree with
Senator Schwellenbach, but finally
said, after persistent questioning:
It might have been"
Chairman John J. O'Connor said
the House lobby investigation would
be resumed Tuesday. He expects to
announce appointment of counsel
within the next day or two. He will
employ about six investigators to
inquire into utility lobbying.
we are working entirely separate
from the Senate investigation. Sen
ator Black and I have not discussed
our plans. We will not follow the
exact trail that their investigation
is taking, although It is likely that