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Show MiS NOTE IUr RESULT II GREATSCANDAL Names of Two U. S. Senators Sena-tors Dragged Into Gossip Relating- to Alleged Speculations. CABINET MEMBER ALSO MENTIONED Representative Wood Declares De-clares He Will Force Action; Ac-tion; Lansing Would Welcome Inquiry. By International News Service. WASHINGTON". D. C, Dec. 23. The names of two United States senators have been dragged into the gossip relating to reports of stock speculations by government govern-ment officials having advance knowl- i edge of President Wilson's peace note. The story threatens to develop into a disastrous political scandal that will reveal re-veal serious dissensions In high Democratic Demo-cratic circles. Officials who have not been able to keep their own skirts cleared charged that a member of the cabinet engineered the plan for an investigation. The cabinet member has been frequently fre-quently characterized as the politician of tho official family. He is better known on Capitol hill than on the other end of Pennsylvania avenue and is said to have a higher percentage of friends in congress than in the cabinet. Political Grudge the Motive. The motive is said to have root in a political grudge against the group of men involved, with the possible exception of the other cabinet member, who Is alleged to have profited hugely by making timely use of advance information. Whether or not the charges against members of the administration are true, the story has served to demonstrate that the old "grapevine" route to the White house and tho state department Is as clearly defined as ever In the days of "special privileges." A thorough investigation, it is declared, will develop that much of the phraseology in the story sent over the "ticker" from Wall street hours before the peace note was made public had been contained in a letter mailed In Washington on Monday. Mon-day. The note was not given out until late Wednesday. The broker's representative is said to have received information on Monday that the note would be forwarded "very soon." It only remained for him to verify veri-fy iiis earlier report when Secretary Lansing Lan-sing said on Wednesday morning that an important document would be given out later in the day. The senators now mentioned have close connections in New York and frequently make headquarters at, a hotel in the immediate im-mediate vicinity of Broadway and Forty-second Forty-second street. One of them is a recognized recog-nized leader on the Democratic side and has been conspicuous at the last several conventions. Determined on Action. Representative Wood .of Indiana, who introduced t he resolution calling for a congressional inquiry into the reports, intends in-tends to have a thorough investigation, if it is possible to get one. He said today to-day that he will not permit his resolution resolu-tion to be smothered in the committee .to which it was referred and that if this 'committee does not make a report with-'in with-'in (he time allotted to It, lie will call up i the resolution on the lioor of the house j and seek to have it considered. I Since introducing the resolution, which served to bring to official notice the rumors ru-mors connecting government officials wiili the stock market operations. Mr. Wood has been in receipt of messaees from many pans of the country urging him to pursue his Investigation to the limit nnd determine whether the reports are true. One of these messages, received re-ceived today from a New York stock broker, reads: "Heartily indorse vour resolution eall-irtE: eall-irtE: for full investigation of all stock market operations by government officials offi-cials who may have used their public office lo influence market fluctuations. If . such condition atuall v exists, as would ff-cni probable to nn experienced follower 'of the market, something radical should bo done to expose t hose who a re b- tray ins their public trust. Don't allow : resolution to he killed In committee, hut use same courarre to kc.-p ii aijve as you I displayed in introduc in It on the floor i of the house." ! Consulted With Leaders. Mr. Wood declared that he did no! introduce in-troduce his resolution on the spur of the moment, nor without taking Into full consideration t lie consul ue nee Df $iu-)- action and what It would mean to persons per-sons who miiht become Involved. He consulted with a larpe number of the leaders of the house, who. like him self, had heard the rumors that officii Is -.o-sepsi:, the confidence of the administration admin-istration had da'.M'-d in stocks wiih pi-o'it to themseve.. After tbes conferences, confer-ences, he was advised to prepare the ; e-"eu;:n:i. "These rumors had become so Insistent." Insist-ent." said Mr. Wood. "that I felt the count rv had a r; :dit to know whet her r.'.-re was any tr;Hh in them. I found In iaikinc with members nf the hoi:se t;;;,t others had hT'.rd : he rer.nris and without with-out except ;on. thev advised me to make ', i: ; s ; t-rrn nd I rr an Jj-ff lu ry. "I have never roE-ht notoriety in this or in ativ "t!i--r mat'er s.tv-e f became n p ,.Tv.rr of con-T'ss, and my action in this was prompted so!v bv the fe.dlni: !h i! we are entitled to kno.v ;v: her t ce business of the country is h-,r-- iu :::led in s.j- h a manner. " was shown a stateiv-nt this mnrn-;n;' mnrn-;n;' to tie e ffe c t t r. a t T h o rn a s W . T,a w -sen of R os ton has clear,, d i.p a fortune r.-'-.iV.y of tr.is a-i a n 'e Inforn.a t ion lf T'-;:t is tr-;e. we o-jL-ht to kr,ow it. Jf :;-.tc 's a 'leak' .-mywhere in the cabi- (Continued on Pag9 Two,) Willi's BOTE IF RESULT 1 SCIill (Continued from Page One.) net or among others in the confidence of the administration, it ought to be determined de-termined so that the country may know about it." INQUIRY WOULD BE WELCOMED BY CABINET CHIEF WAPHI.VGTOX. Dee. 23. Secretary T.ansing said today the. state department would welcome an investigation to show whether any government officials profited, prof-ited, through stock specula tion result ing from his two sta tements regarding President Wilson's peae note such as was proposed in the house yesterday in a resolution by Representative Wood of Indiana . "I don't know much about this resolution. reso-lution. ' said Mr. Lansing, "but if there is the slightest doubt about the two statements i?ue-1 by me I should welcome wel-come an investigation to remove it. Personally. Per-sonally. I don't know about stocks and should not know how to speculate if I wanted to. Wall street always has been a rn vsierv to me." Counsellor Polk said: "If such a charge is beinsr pressed in good faith it ought to be investigated without dMay. Officials Offi-cials of the department would welcome wel-come it." |
