Evening star., 1941-11-06
Smith! Stirs LANCER
Case Row by Saying
His Mind Is Made Up
Lucas and Hatch Object
To South CuroIinun's
Statement at Hearing
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Senator Smith Democrat, OF
South Carolina precipitated con-
troversy in the Senate Elections
Committee today by bluntly an
nouncing that he had his mind
made up" on the question of seating
Senator LANCER, Republican, OF
North Dakota, whose fitness to hold
Office has been challenged by a
group of North Dakota petitioners.
I've got no questions to ask,
Senator Smith blurted, when Chair
man Hatch offered to permit him
to interrOgate a witness who was
testifying before the committee.
MY mind is made up," exclaimed
the South Carolinian.
I've seen SO much of this in my
SO years of experience / know just
which way the wind is blowing
Lucas Assails Decision.
Senator Lucas. Democrat, OF Illl-
nois interjected that he for one did
not have his mind made up end
believed that the issue before the
committee was "one of the most
important issues with which I have
ever been confronted"
II don't think it's fair to the COM
mittee. fair to the country or fair to
any one else" Senator Lucas con-
tinued, 'for a member OF this COM
mittee to make a statement that his
mind is made up before the evidence
is heard
MY mind is not made up, either"
Senator Hatch put in.
THE people of North Dakota" :"
Senator Smith declared, with all
the facts published in the news
papers, elected Mr.. LANCER Governor
twice and then elected him Senator.
Are you going to indict the people
of North Dakota?"
We'll. Senator, if you want to
argue the case" Senator Hatch
began.
Questioning Goes On.
II move we go into executive ses-
SION" Senator Murdock. Democrat.
of Utah broke in hotly
Il think We should, too," Senator
Lucas agreed.
Senator Hatch told Senator Lucas
to 60 ahead with questioning of the
witness. We all know Senator
Smith" he remarked. and know
that he will say anything that he
wants to-"
Il don't want to put on long
judicial face, and pretend to believe
something I Just don't believe at
all" Senator Smith commented
eating the witness and the question
of interrupting the hearing was
dropped.
LANCER to Testify.
Attorneys for petitioners opposing
the seating of Senator LANCER sought
to conclude testimony today in sup
port of their charges of mora
turpitude.
Francis Murphy, counsel for the
former Governor. indicated thai
Mr.. LANCER would be called before
the committee in his own behalf i'm.
mediately after the petitioners made
their case. Yesterday they sought tt
show that Mr.. LANCER profited per.
sonally from State and local bono
transactions while Governor o.
North Dakota in 1887 and 1888.
Gregory Brunk. a Des Moines at.
torney and businessman. testified
he felt so strongly that Mr.. LANCER
had been the victim of 'persecu-
ton" that he paid the Governor
S56.800 for North Dakota farm
lands and mortgages without ever
seeing the land or attempting te
form his own judgment OF its value
Acknowledged Sharing Commission
Mr.. Brunk acknowledged sharing
with ". w. Brewer, Minneapoli:
bond broker, commissions of 5000 .00t
or $500 900 on sales of public securi.
ties in North Dakota, much OF the
profit being realized through thu
purchase of county and city re-
funding bonds and their resale a
higher prices to State agencies.
Former Senator Edward Burke o1
Nebraska, counsel for the petition
ers. told neWSmen that a report Of
three independent appraisers woule
show that the land Mr. Brunk pur.
! chased from Mr.. LANCER had fail
value in 1887 of $5,7l8.