The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-01-24
Comments on Weeks News
(FEom AmeEieaa CsmmoaweaIth Federation


Washington has had taste this
week Of what is likely to happen
when in pursuit Of the facts about
matters Of public interest congress
sional Investigators invade the
"Seats of the Mighty" and uncov-
er facts which powerful men can
not afford to have see the light Of
day.
Briefly stated, this is what oc-
cured: Senator Nye's committee
investigating the munitions indus
try had its searchlght upon the
bankers for war mongers and
war makers. It had previously
brought to light astounding evil
dences Of corruption, Of fabulous
profits in government contracts
Tor munitions, and Of interference
IN efforts to bring about interna-
tional arms reduction agreements
Regulations Of great and small
had been shattered in the remorse-
less light Of publicity. "a
For q week while Mr.. ]. P. Nor.
gan and his partners squirmed OF
the witness stand of the Senate
Committee, newspaper editors il
their editorial offices squirmeC
also. Editors who had not daret
to object to the investigation fin
ally began timidly to suggest tina
in spite Of the evidense the ok
fables regarding the war mus
have some validity. AS fact afte
fact was brought out from th
J Morgan partners pointing to com
merical motives involving the Tn
tied States in the World War, tn
protests grew stronger. And tn
= evidence continued to pile up; III
Morgan banking firm had side
with England from the beginnin
Of the war in 1914. It had sourC
:: es Of confidential informatio
from the United States govern
ment. It manipulated credit to sui
its own international policy. u.
I. Editorials began to object q
e the imputed assumption by th
3 Investigators Of economic motive
in the United States entrance il
: to the war. An attempt was mad
Z by Morgan himself to revive ii
atrocity theory as the compelin
. motive for participation by Il
y United States in the war. Again
such protestations stood certai
= undisputed documents, among the
y the famous telegram from Amba
- sador Walter Hines Page warnir
President Wilson that the mali
tenance Of Americas preeminel
trade position required her e
trance into the war. :
THE STORM q
BREAKS
With such damning evidence b
- ing developed, It was no surpriI
! when a small group Of senate
seized upon what they consider'
q favorable issue, distorted a
: mirepresented q statement
Senator Nye in committee, al
} made q great patriotic issue o
/. Of q drive to stop the investig
/. ton. The issue on which th,
seized was evidence developed b,
4 the committee that President w
1 son knew about the secret Ali
! treaties for the division Of spo
aftercthe war, although he Il
the Senate that he had no 90
knowledge.
It would b naive TO suppOI
that some other excuse for the ;
tack on the investigation WoT
& not have been used 81 this had 4
\ occurred. It would Be naive to 81
! pose that the protection Of I
good name Of President Wilson
!; really the object Of the outbu
= in the Senate on Thursday .
= Friday. Senator Byrnes Of SoI
70 Carolina more or less revealed I
. attitude Of the Directing sen&t'
. when he declared that the co
!" mittee had not developed q sin
bit Of information that was
ii already known.
y II this is q correct statement,
!. is q sad admission from Sena
u Byrnes. II he knew all the IA
4 developed by the COMMITTEES,
% nevertheless kept silent during
= appropriation Of billions Of dolli
/. Tor war purposes, he was ext
odiDArily obtuse to ordinary c
4" siderations Of civic morality,
y cause among the thousands
L facts brought out by the &C
g mittse there is to be found 81
!? evidence as the following:
q 1. That one aircraft cOmpan
to manufacturing largely for &
J? government, accumulated asse
m and earnings exceeding one m
e. lion times its original mVea
10 ment in eight years.
3 2. That profits exceeding tot