Evening star., 1935-03-05
DEC|S|0N0NPROBE
0FFARLEY.PENDS|
Senate Post Office Group to
Decide Action on Long
Resolution.
Tcontinued From First Page.)

company or pdTClClpdlIOII AAl Ato uAuAo ~
nor have I received anything from this
source since that time with the excep-
ton of a dividend of five hundred and
twenty five dollars ($525.000 on my
preferred stock.
Holding Firm Owns No Stock.
Mention has been made of a GER
tain holding company which carries
my name. That company vas or
ganized in 1929 to collect the slow
assets of James A. Farley & Co., Inc,
q corporation which went out OF ex-
istence at that time. This holding
company does not own stock IN any
corporation whatsoever.
"The stock which I own in these
two companies represents all the stock
which I own in any corporation what
soever.
st have not solicited business for
any corporation or any contractor.
have never interested myself in
helping any contractor to secure any
contracts from the United States Gov
ernment or from any other person
or corporation.
"There is not word of truth in the
insinuation that I participated in any
way in having bids of any contractor
rejected by the Treasury Department
or by any other department or agency
Of the Government.
P.O. Annex Men Favored.
"The resolution also states that
Whereas it is further alleged that the
said concerns favoring the firm Of the
said James A. Farley with business
have been able to secure changes In
specifications netting them large sums
In profits after the award OF con-
tracts, and it being alleged that such
changes are deliberately made for the
purpose of allowing large profits and
avoiding competition
This, I understand, refers to GER
tain contracts for the building of the
annex to the New York City Post Office
Building. The only part the Post Of
fee Department played in this matter
consisted in advising the Treasury De-
partment, which let the contracts. Of
the need of postal requirements so far
as a building in New York City was
concerned. I am sending you here
with the full file of correspondence be-
tween the two departments, including
letters that were Cancelled because Of
the request of the proper Treasury Of
flcial that the Post Office Department
be more specific in the statements of
its requirements.
There was question concerning
the erection Of q completed building,
the cost Of which was in excess of the
amount Of funds allocated for the
project, or an incompleted building in
which two floors were not to be fin
ished, alternative bids having been
called for by the Treasury. The de-
tails of this are shown in the accom-
panying correspondence.
81 did not at any time attempt to
exercise any influence on the Treas
ury Department with respect to the
letting of this or any other contract.
Denies Knowing Of Changes.
'I had no knowledge that there had
been any changes in specifications or
materials until read Of them in re-
ports of the charges made by the Sem
ator from Louisiana. In any event,
have no connection whatsoever with
respect to such changes in relation to
any building or any contract
Answering the charge he used the
Printing Office to crafty "whims and
caprices of personal and political
friends, even to the printing of stamps
never to be used" the Postmaster
General replied:
with respect to this matter, fol-
lowed, as Postmaster General, a GUS
tom that has existed In this depart
ment for many, many years; that is,
the presentation as souvenirs Of new
issues of stamps. attach herewith
memorandum showing how long
and how extensively this practice has
been pursued. On January 23. 1905,
the then Third Assistant Postmaster
General, Edwin c. Madden, wrote an
official letter to the Postmaster Gen.
eral, from which I quote the fol-
lowing:
"'s In this connection I deem it
proper to say that the giving away Of
specimen stamps, proofs, ETC., is prac-
tice Of upward Of 40 years standing.
sss No record was kept Of the per-
sons to whom these stamps were dis
tributed prior to my coming into Office,
but since November, 1899, I have
caused to be kept a record Of every
stamp given away and canfurnish,
should it be so desired, a complete list
OF those who have received them dur
ing my incumbency, except for the
four months between July I, 1899 (the
date of my appointment) and Novem-
Der /, 1899, when the record Of dis
tribution was begun"
Denies Link to Wire Service.
The allegation in the Long resolu-
tion that Farley is implicated in q
wire service leading into the gambling
houses in the United States from the
race tracks, and Is using the functions
which he supervises for the Govern
ment to pursue said business for profit
to himself and to his friends" brought
the following denial from the Post
master General:
"The above charge is utterly untrue
and Is as ridiculous and baseless as are
the others. The only wire service in
the Post Office Department, except the
ordinary commercial telephone and
telegraph lines, is teletype press
ccIFlCc SuCIl DIS you Will 1luQ IN many
other Government departments, in
most newspaper Offices and in many
business offices. It is bulletin of the
days happenings as they occur, en-
bracing the proceedings Of Congress
and other news of the day. This tele-
type machine is connected only with
. news service Office. It leads to no
gambling house and nothing is trans
mitted by 1t except that which is writ
ten for the news service which operates
1t, namely. the Washington City News
Service. Personally, I have no con-
nection, direct or indirect, with this
or any other wire service"
Taking up other sections Of the res
olution, Farley's reply continued:
Again the resolution reads: Where
as 1t is further alleged that, without
pay or compensation for the same, the
said James A. Farley has comman-
deered for his personal use, facilities
Of public service corporations borrow