BIG NAVY PROPAGANDA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20367, 23 September 1929, Page 11

BIG NAVY PROPAGANDA.

AMERICAN SHIPBUILDERS.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUIRY.

PAYMENTS TO GENEVA AGENT,

Australian Press Association—United Service (Received September 22, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Sept. 21.

The employment of William 15. Shearer, the "big navy" propagandist, by American shipbuilders as an observer at the Geneva naval conference of 1927, was described as most unwise to-day to the committee of tlie Senate which is investigating the affair. 'I he description was that of Mr. Charles M. Schwab, chairman ot directors of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation Witness said lie knew nothing about the Shoarer deal until many months later. Asked who was responsible for the employment of Shearer by his company, Mr. Schwab hestitatingly named Mr. S. W. Wakeman, the vice-president. Mr. C. L. Barbo, president of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, said American shipbuilders bad spent £28,600 m seeking to have passed the JonesWhite Merchant Marine Act of 1928.

Shearer had been paid about £9350 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, tho Newport News Shipbuilding Corporation and tho Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. Shearer had not been authorised to intervene in the cruiser fight at Geneva. Witness asserted that the shipbuilding companies now employ I* rank Lord as their representative at Washington to keep them informed, run errands and obtain facts not published by the press. But Lord had no authority to interfere with legislation.