Evening star., 1939-07-30
Mexican Oil Sale
Link 10 Guffey
Holly Denied
News Stories Read
By Bridges Set Off
Senute EXCHANGE
BACKGROUND

1888, as elimination OF labor dis
puteS. United States Govern
nent has pressed continuously for
settlement OF question based on
compensation OF oil companies for
properties Seised, but Mertco
has Jailed to reach agreement
1Utth the companies. Meanwhile,
Merico has been selling product
OF appropriated WellS to Germany
and Italy. w. r. DapiS has been
associated ,Dtth this sales CAM
paign.
By the Associated Press.
Senator Bridges, Republican, of
New Hampshire touched off an
angry exchange in the Senate yes
terday by reading newspaper stories
which he said linked Senator Guf-
fey, Democrat, of Pennsylvania with
persons who negotiated the sale of
oil from United States properties
seized by Mexico.
Senator Bridges followed up the
newspaper quotation with an an
nouncement that he intended to
seek a Senate investigation of the
entire Mexican oil affair"
Senator Guffey, his voice husky
with emotion, termed the newspaper
stories 100 per cent false and a ma
licious, cter-destroying lie"
A half dozen of his colleagues pro-
tested bitterly that Senator Bridges
had violated Senate rules, 'impugn-
ing the character of a member Of
this body"
The New Hampshire Republican
denied he was making any charge
against Senator Guffey, and Senator
La Toilette. Progressive, of Wiscon-
sin, who was presiding, ruled that
he had not violated the Senate regu-
lation.
Senator Bridges interrupted a
droning debate on the lending bill
TO read the clippings, at time when
the Senate floor was nearly empty.
The exchange that followed brought
Senators hustling to the floor from
nearby cloakrooms.
Referring to a provision in the
lending bill to finance exports to
Latin America, Senator Bridges dis
cussed relation between this country
and Mexico.
He charged that unnamed nigh
officials of this administration had
encouraged and even commended
the establishment of Communism in
Mexico" and that this had led to
appropriation of American and BTi.-
ish oil properties.
Senator Bridges began reading
clippings from the ST. Louis Post
Dispatch and New York Herald
Tribune that told of reported sales
and barter of oil from the seized
properties.
The clippings said Senator Guffey
made trip to Mexico City in 1887
before the seizure, with Walter A.
Jones. Pittsburgh Gilman and pol
itician. and that Mr.. Jones was as
sociated with W. r. Davis. free
lance oil" operator. who was cred
tied with disposing of oil to Ger
many.
Denies Making Charges.
Senator Guffey and Mr.. Jones, the
papers said, conferred after the oil
property seizures with Eduardo
Suarez, Mexican minister of finance
in a Washington hotel.
Senator Nicely, Democrat, of West
Virginia demanded to know whether
Senator Bridges was accusing Sen
ator Guffey of any conduct unbe-
coming or unworthy of Senator
Senator Bridges replied that he
was merely reading these articles
for what they are worth; that he
made mo charges against Senator
Guffey in any way, shape or form,
and that this is an interesting
story; it's weird story"
Senators ByrneS, Democrat, o1
South Carolina; Lucas, Democrat
Of Illinois, and McKellar, Demo-
crat, of Tennessee protested that 8
Senator could not read newspaper
allegations concerning another Sen.
ator without taking responsibility.
Il have no objection to having
the Senator from New Hampshire
read the reports" Senator Guffey
said. Il would like to have all tht
facts brought out. I have nothing
to conceal"
Senator Guffey charged that tn.
authors of the stories had received
compensation, other than that from
their regular employers, for writ.
ing the statements about him.