Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-15
9 IN HOUSE ASK
LOBBY QUIZ CALL
Seek to Testify in Brewster
Cochran Dispute on
Project.
BY the Associated Press


Nine House members today asked
the House Rules Committee to hear
them in it's investigation of the utili-
ties lobby.
All wanted to testify on the asSer-
| ton by Representative Brewster, Re-
publican, of Maine, that Thomas Cor
coran, R. F. C. attorney, told Brew
ster work on the Passamaquoddy
project in Maine would be stopped
unless Brewster voted for abolition
of unnecessary utilities holding
companies. Corcoran has denied he
said that.
The nine, Representative Rankin
Democrat. of Mississippi said, were
present at a conference before the
House voted on the utilities bill.
They were, he added: Representa-
tives Knute Hill. Democrat, of Wash
ington; McFarlane, Democrat, OF
Texas: Maverick. Democrat, of Texas;
Marcantonio. Republican. of New
York; Schneider. Progressive, of Wis
consin: Moran, Democrat, of Maine;
Sauthoff. Progressive, of Wisconsin;
Zioncheck. Democrat, of Washington
and himself.
Lobby Curb Rejected.
A bill looking to a decrease in lob
bying before Federal departments was
tentatively rejected. meanwhile, by the
Senate Judiciary Committee.
introduced by Senator Wagner
Democrat, of New York it would con-
fine appearances before the executive
departments in connection with
claims, taxes and the like to practicine
attorneys.
Senator King, Democrat. OF Utah
was authorized to make an unfavor-
able report on the bill after consult
ing one or two absentees. Members
reported the bill was almost unani-
mously opposed on the ground it would
bar many experts in the tax, customs
and other fields from carrying out
legitimate tasks before the Federal
departments.
Some members of the committee
headed by Senator Black, Democrat
of Alabama display desire to pro-
duce as much data as possible before
the final decision is made by Con-
gress on the utilities bill
The bill is now in Senate House
conference, which is attempting to de-
eide the question whether utility hold
ing companies termed unnecessary
shall be subjected to mandatory
abolition.
While the committee hearings have
been temporarily halted, the mails in
few days will bring the returns from
questionnaires sent to companies be-
lieved to have taken part in the
fight against the utilities bill.
Who supplied money for the battle,
and who spent it, are the answers
sought. The committee members as
sert they want to know if any of the
expenditures eventually will be tackled
on the bills of power companies GUS
toners.
Schall Raps Roosevelt.
Meanwhile Senator Schall, Repub-
lican, of Minnesota assailed the Roose-
welt administration for raising "bogy
cry of lobby"
Liberty is not at stake he de-
clared, lin any country where the
citizens thereof are welcome guests at
the seat of legislation and free lobby
maintains their rights
Schall said liberty is in danger
where an autocratic executive is able
to drive away all Hobbies of citizens
control the legislative function from
the executive throne, administer gov
eminent through an executive star
chamber, as during the Stuart tyranny
in England 300 years ago. and as to-
day IN the New Deals here, and in
Rome. Berlin, Moscow and wherever
bureaucratic dictatorship is In the
government saddle"