SENATOR EXONERATED

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1942, Page 6

SENATOR EXONERATED

NEW YORK PRESS CHARGES

RESULT OF INQUIRY

(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, May 20. Senator Barkley (Democratic Leader) announced in the Senate, to-day, that the Justice Department completely exonerated Senator David Walsh, of charges published in the “New York Post,” that he had frequented a Brooklyn house of degradation, Where Nazi spies congregated. Speaking to a hushed Senate, Senator Barkley referred to the charges published in the “Post.” He said the “Post” made charges against Senator Walsh in connection with the trial of Gustave Beekman, “under indictment and trial for an offence too loathsome to mention in the" Senate.” Senator Barkley said the Attorney-General (Mr. Biddle) investigated the charges, and completely exonerated "Walsh. Meantime, Senator Barkley had conferred with Walsh, who told him he had never been in the house of degradation. He (Barkley) had advised Walsh not to make a statement, vn less the article appeared in other newspapers. The Senate was crowded to hear Senator Barkley’s statement, in which he said it was alleged that Walsh has been a frequent visitor to a house in Brooklyn, at which it was reported that soldiers and sailors were plied with liquor in order that information about ship movements might be obtained. The facts were that Walsh had never been to the house in question, and he had only been to Brooklyn three times in his life.

Senator Barkley said that Beekman, who is supposed to have made the affidavit, naming Walsh, was under some sort of impression that if he told the whole truth, he might obtain leniency. In his statement to the Justice Department, Beekman said he did not know what was in the original statement relating to Walsh, but he signed it because his lawyer advised him to sign it. Senator Barkley said the photographs of the man who actuall?/ went to the house were no more like Walsh than Haile Selassie. Senator Clark suggested that the Senate, for the maintenance of its own integrity, should examine into the motives behind this filthy conspiracy. To that end, Senator Clark suggested that the publisher of the “New York Post” and Walter Winchell, be called before the bar of the Senate for questioning. Ted O. Thackrey, editor of the “New York Post,” in a statement, said that Senator Barkley made his statement before the Senate, after a secret investigation, made apparently at the informal request of a member of the Senate, and has seen fit to bring to Senate a report of the investigation which the Senate never ordered and refused to take public notice of with a public hearing. “The Post” will have more to say later about the unfounded amazing charges of conspiracy made by Senator Clark. “The Post” demands a full public Senate investigation. TOKIO RAIDER (Recd. 11.25) NEW _ YORK, May 20. Lieutenant James Doolittle, junior, a flier, son of the army hero who led the raid on Tokio, said enthusiastically: “I feel damn cocky about my old man.” He added that they could not have picked a better man for the job. Marine Corps Headquarters announced that Captain James Roosevejt, eldest son of the President, had been selected for temporary promotion to the rank of Major.