Evening star., 1938-04-10

Senator Donahey, normally an admins
tratlon supporter, is regarded as a good
friend of DR.. Arthur E. Morgan, deposed
T. V. A. chairman, who gave up a post
as president of Antioch College at Yellow
Springs, Ohio, to come to the power agency.
Senator Brown, who served seven years
as member of his States Public Service
Commission, is probably better versed in
the intricate problems confronting the
committee than any other member. He
has been outspoken in his opposition to
public utility holding companies Senator
Schwartz has been supporter of the
President, but has taken no definite stand
On public utility questions.
The Democratic members from the
House-Mead of New York, Driver of Ar
kansas and Thomason of Texas-have been
supporters of the T. V. A. The Republic
can members, Representatives jenkins of
Ohio and Wolverton of New Jersey. have
been numbered among its opponents. Mr..
Jenkins, also friend of the deposed chair
man, is the only committee member who
has taken definite position in the pres
ent controversy. Last month he made
speech in the House condemning the Presi-
dents action in removing DR.. Morgan and
described T. V. A. as a stencil in the nos
trils of the people" 1t is entirely probable
that he will wage vigorous fight to clear
DR.. Morgan of charges that have been
made against him and to uncover every
TACT bearing on the chairman's accusations
against the other T. V. A. directors-Dr
Harcourt Morgan and David E. Llienthal
DissensiOn Basic Issue.
From an administration standpoint and
perhaps as matter of public interest the
basic issue in the whole T. " A. dispute
concerns the dissension and personal ami
mostly among the three directors
This dissension, which has been simmer
ing for more than year. has unquestion-
ably hampered the work of the Authority
to a greater extent than any maneuver of
the power companies. The whole business
was brought to head last month by the
President when he undertook a personal
'fact-flnding' investigation to ascertain
counter charges made by the three
directors
The Presidents effort collapsed. however,
when DR.. Morgan refused on three occa-
sions to submit any evidence or factual ma
terial in support of his accusations, made
chiefly against Mr.. Lilienthal The chair
man insisted he could not secure an ade-
quate hearing at the White House and that
he would submit his facts only to a con-
gressional committee. In that state of
affairs, the President adjudged DR.. Morgan
guilty of "contumacy" and summarily re-
moved him from Office
Charges Vague In Detail.
DR. Morgans charges. as stated by the
President at the White House hearings, are
somewhat vague as to detail, but neverthe-
less are sufficiently definite and sufficiently
serious to warrant a full investigation If
supported by any evidence at ALL
The first charge concerned the so-called
Berry marble case-an attempt by Senator
Berry, Democrat, of Tennessee to secure
from the Government approximately S.
100000 damages for allegedly valuable
marble deposits flooded by the backwater
of Norris DAM
The T. v. A., after lengthy negotiations,
instituted condemnation proceedings last
year against the land owned by Senator
Berry and his associates. T. v. A. experts
had submitted opinions that the marble
deposits were commercially worthless, but
Mr. Lilienthal and DR.. Harcourt Morgan
desired to secure the judgment of an ex-
pert not connected with T. v. A., and this
was done over the objections of the chair
man.
When the condemnation proceeding at
Knoxville, Tenn, was nearing its close
Chairman Morgan appeared and obtained
permission to testify. His testimony i'm
pugned the good faith of his associates and
implied that they had sought to pay sena-
tor Berry for his claim, subsequently ad-
judged valueless. The gist of his accusa-
tion was that they knew the claim had
been made in bad faith at the time the OUT
side expert was called In.
The second charge concerned so-called