“FILTHY CONSPIRACY”

Grey River Argus, 22 May 1942, Page 6

“FILTHY CONSPIRACY”

Against U.S. Senator

NEW YORK PAPER DENOUNCED.

WASHINGTON, May 20. Senator Barkley (Democratic Leader announced in the Senate today 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. Ted O. Thackrey, editor of the “New York Post,” .in a statement, said 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 witli a public hearing. “The Post” will have more to say, later about the unfounded amazing’’ charges of/bnspiracy made by Senator Clark. “The Post” demands a full public Senate investigation.” 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 Senator Walsh. Meantime, Senator Barkley had conferred with Senator Walsh, who told him he had never been in the house of degradation. He (Barkley) had advised Senator Walsh not to make a

statement, unless the article appeared In other newspapers. The Senate was crowded to hear Senator Barkley’s statement in which he said it was alleged that Senator Walsh had 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 Senator 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 was supposed to have made an affidavit, naming .Walsh, was under some sort of impression that if he told the truth, he might obtain leniency. In his statement to the Justice' Department, Beekman said lie did not know what was in the original statement relating to Senator Walsh, but he signed it because his lawyer advised him to sign it. Senator Barkley said photographs of the man who actually 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 Win--chell, be called before the bar of the Senate for questioning.