Mr. FLETCHER. No. I gave to the treasurer of the national committee, you know, to the State treasurer for the national committee. Who was this, Senator Reed?

Senator REED. I confess I don't remember.

Mr. FLETCHER. It was Jay Cooke, wasn't it?

Senator REED. I do not know. But it went to the national committee. I remember your contributing in the last campaign to that. Mr. FLETCHER. Yes.

Senator REED. I know that your check went to the national treas

urer.

Mr. FLETCHER. Yes.

Senator HARRISON. Have you been associated financially with any interest in Pennsylvania that was seeking protection?

Mr. FLETCHER. Not that I know of.

Senator HARRISON. Aren't you interested personally in any industries?

Mr. FLETCHER. No.

Senator HARRISON. That have sought tariff protection, I mean? Mr. FLETCHER. I have a few shares of Westinghouse airbrake, and perhaps of the Westinghouse Manufacturing Co. Those I bought about three or four years ago; and of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. that I bought about three or four months ago when I thought they looked cheap. But I do not know that they are interested in the tariff in any way; in fact, that was the reason I bought them. I had some shares of stock which I thought might be affected by the tariff and I sold those and bought others which I thought would not be.

Senator HARRISON. Would you mind telling the committee what those shares were?

Mr. FLETCHER. Which ones?

Senator HARRISON. What kind of industries they were in. You say that you feared that they might be interested in the tariff and you got rid of them?

Mr. FLETCHER. Because of the oil investigation, which I noticed by resolution we were instructed to go into, in regard to the marketing of oil from Maracaibo on the domestic production, and I had some few shares of Phillips Petroleum and Gulf Oil. I sold those before I came onto the commission. I thought that maybe that matter would be raised. I thought I should like to feel I was perfectly free to do my job down there. If anything were to come up, of course, before the commission in which I was interested, either directly or indirectly; that is, if any of my family had any interest, if I knew of their connection, I would certainly not participate in the investigation.

Senator HARRISON. Did you belong to any organization in Pennsylvania with which Mr. Grundy was connected or anyone else was connected that sought higher duties by way of the tariff?

Mr. FLETCHER. No; I have not been interested in the tariff in any way.

Senator HARRISON. I am asking you these questions to find out, you understand.

Mr. FLETCHER. I am very glad for you to ask them. I should be very happy for you to fully understand the situation.

Senator HARRISON. Have you been interested in copper?

Mr. FLETCHER. I had some shares at one time in Kennecott Copper, as an investment.

Senator HARRISON. Was that while you were minister to Chile? Mr. FLETCHER. No, sir.

Senator HARRISON. Were you interested in any of those stocks at the time when you were minister to Chile?

Mr. FLETCHER. No; I do not think so. When I was minister to Chile I bought 10 shares of stock, and amounts like that, occasionally, of General Electric, say, and tried to get some stock that was safe, and so forth. As I had an opportunity to make a little investment I would buy a little stock. I tried in every way, however, never to buy

Senator HARRISON (interposing). Were you interested in any nitrates?

Mr. FLETCHER. No, sir.

Senator HARRISON. Were you ever interested in any American getting any contracts with reference to nitrates?

Mr. FLETCHER. No, sir; not that I know of. Well, I believe that the DuPont Co. was purchasing a nitrate field during my time there. I might have helped their representative to make his contacts, but I rather think that was done before I came.

Senator HARRISON. That was in Chile?

Mr. FLETCHER. Yes. My attitude was always one of helping any American industry that came there that wanted to establish itself. Senator HARRISON. You merely helped them as minister?

Mr. FLETCHER. Oh, absolutely.

Senator HARRISON. You were not interested in any contract?
Mr. FLETCHER. Not in the slightest.

Senator HARRISON. Or in the slightest for you to get any profits?
Mr. FLETCHER. Not at all.

Senator HARRISON. Does that go also with reference to copper? Mr. FLETCHER. That goes completely, with reference to anything. Senator HARRISON. Did you know Mr. Guggenheim?

Mr. FLETCHER. I did. I knew the young boy, who is now minister to Cuba; yes.

Senator HARRISON. Well, he was interested in the copper industry, was he not?

Mr. FLETCHER. Yes. I think the Guggenheims came into Chile after I left there. I left there in 1916, and I don't know when they really took over the property. I think it belonged to the Braden interests first, but I don't remember.

The CHAIRMAN. Copper has been on the free list always .
Senator HARRISON. Í understand that.

Senator COUZENS. But there was a campaign on to put a tariff on it.

Senator HARRISON. I understand that copper has been on the free list. And I take it that the Senator from Utah knew that I knew that, didn't he?

The CHAIRMAN. Well, I wasn't sure about that.

Senator HARRISON. Mr. Fletcher, how long were you minister to Chile?

Mr. FLETCHER. From 1910 until 1914, about October, it was raised to an embassy and I was called ambassador from that time on until 1916.

Senator HARRISON. Did you know of the Guggenheims' interest at that time?

Mr. FLETCHER. No. Well, I might have known of them. I would not say that I did not know Mr. Guggenheim, and I knew there was the Guggenheim interests, but I did not know them any more than I knew any other big concern in this country. I had no particular interest in them in any way.

Senator HARRISON. Did you know Mr. Jeffery who was minister during the Wilson administration to one of the South American countries?

Mr. FLETCHER. I do not remember him. I don't even remember where he was.

Senator HARRISON. I wish you would just read the letter which I now hand you, and then give me your reaction to it.

Mr. FLETCHER. I shall be very happy to do so.

The CHAIRMAN. Senator, do you want it put in the record? Senator HARRISON. I do not know whether I do or not. But I want to ask Mr. Fletcher some questions about it.

Mr. FLETCHER. No, sir, Senator, there is not a word of truth in any of that. I wish you would call Mr. Haven, and I can get hold of him if you want me to. I never had any connection with these things. I will be very glad to have you call Mr. Haven.

Senator HARRISON. I am interested in a letter that one of my colleagues received from R. E. Jeffery, of Newport, Ark. Mr. Jeffery states this, and I want to ask you for your reaction to it:

I had been honored by Presdient Wilson with the appointment as United States minister to the Republic of Uruguay in February, 1915, where I went and remained until I was informally notified that my resignation would be accepted by Mr. Harding's administration as soon as he became President.

I brought my family to the United States in March, 1921, and proceeded to Washington to hand my resignation to Secretary Hughes.

I was received very cordially by Secretary Hughes who expressed a lively interest in the continued friendly relations between our Government and the River Platte countries and asked me to give him any information which might be useful to him in dealing with these matters. After a pleasant interview with him along the line referred to, I told him that I had come to tender my resignation as United States minister. He said that he had not had occasion to know the procedure to be followed in such matters; but that I would have to see Mr. Fletcher, the Undersecretary of State, who would attend to the matter for me.

I then went to Mr. Fletcher's office, which was adjoining that of Secretary Hughes. His secretary informed me that I could not see Mr. Fletcher that day but I might have a conference with him the following day. The following day I was still unable to see Mr. Fletcher but continued to call twice each day, and on the afternoon of the third day he received me.

Mr. Fletcher was sitting at his desk when I entered and with the most polite manner I knew I told him that I had come to pay my respects to him and to ask him to attend to a business matter for me. His reply was: "I do not know of any reason why you should come to pay your respects to me if you have any business to take up with me I will attend to it." My reply was that I knew many friends of his in Santiago, Chile, and in Buenos Aires and Montevideo; that he was United States minister to Chile when I was serving in a like capacity on the other side of the continent. He had in the meantime been called to Mexico as our ambassador by President Wilson, where he was stationed during our stormy days with that nation during the war. I entered his office with high hopes of being cordially received by him, but he repeated the statement and asked what the nature of my business with him was. I then told him of my conference with Secretary Hughes a few days before that when I had offered my resignation and was directed by Mr. Hughes to see him (Mr. Fletcher) who would attend to the matter for me. Mr. Fletcher promptly

replied, saying that my resignation was accepted and asked me if I had any other business with him.

I said I had no further business and started to leave his office when he stopped me with this statement: "Say, I would like to know what in the his the matter with those people in the River Platte countries." I replied that I did not know what he meant, but that my association with them for several years had been very pleasant and that I had found them quite friendly toward our Nation during and after the war; that the Government to which I had been accredited had followed our Nation into the war and rendered every service possible to our country; that Argentina was also friendly with us during the war and that the congress voted to break diplomatic and commercial relations with Germany with only two dissenting votes. Mr. Fletcher stopped me by saying: "These people are wrong and they need to be told and they will be told." My reply was that I had nothing else to say except that I felt quite different from him about the matter. I then left his office.

I remained standing while in his office and he did not offer me a seat while he remained seated at his desk. I was greatly embarrassed by his treatment of me.

Do you recall that incident?

Mr. FLETCHER. I do not recall it at all, and it does not reflect my attitude regarding the South Americans, and I think that is pretty well known.

Senator HARRISON. Do you recall any facts such as those?

Mr. FLETCHER. No. I do not recall that at all. I do not recall the interview. I saw a great many people there, but I do not remember ever having been rude to Mr. Jeffery, as he says, but if he says so-well

Senator HARRISON (interposing). That is not the way you would deport yourself as chairman of the United States Tariff Commission if you should be confirmed, is it?

Mr. FLETCHER. Well, I don't. know, but I don't usually go swearing around the office, although I have been known to use profanity occasionally on the golf course.

Senator HARRISON. I was not asking about the profanity but about your general attitude.

Mr. FLETCHER. No; it is not. It might have been that my conduct was not such as to meet his approval, and apparently it was not but I do not remember having been rude to him.

Senator HARRISON. What are your general views with reference to tariff?

Mr. FLETCHER. I haven't any general views.

Senator HARRISON. You haven't any views on the tariff?

Mr. FLETCHER. No.

Senator HARRISON. Well, you are a Republican in your views on the tariff, I assume.

Mr. FLETCHER. Well, to that extent, perhaps; yes.

Senator HARRISON. What are the Republican views on the tariff? Mr. FLETCHER. Well, if you will tell me, sir, that; they are not so awfully different from the views of some Democrats, so I have been told.

Senator HARRISON. Are you what is called a high protectionist? Mr. FLETCHER. Well, I do not think so. I feel that the system has been adopted in this country.

Senator HARRISON. Do you believe in the theory as followed in this bill as laid down in the flexible provisions, of ascertaining the difference in cost in this country and abroad, and taking into con

sideration certain things, by which to arrive at that difference in cost of production here and abroad, and fix the rate accordingly?

Mr. FLETCHER. Yes; I think we will try to do that to the best of our ability.

Senator HARRISON. Is that your viewpoint?

Mr. FLETCHER. That is the only way I could go about it in order to comply with the law, and that without regard to any views which I may or may not have. I think I could do that.

Senator HARRISON. Would you care to give any opinion as to whether you approve this last bill that was passed, or not-the various rates in it?

Mr. FLETCHER. I do not know enough about the rates, Senator. Senator HARRISON. Would you as chairman of the United States Tariff Commission, following an ascertainment of facts with regard to the difference in cost of production here and abroad, take into consideration the various things enumerated in the law?

Mr. FLETCHER. Certainly.

Senator HARRISON. And that the rate should be reduced would you then recommend under the flexible provisions that the rate should be reduced?

Mr. FLETCHER. I certainly would.

Senator HARRISON. And the same thing applies to an increase? Mr. FLETCHER. Yes; just according to the facts.

Senator HARRISON. Were you an applicant for this place?

Mr. FLETCHER. No, sir.

Senator HARRISON. What was the first intimation that you had that you were liable to be appointed?

Mr. FLETCHER. The President asked me to come down to Washington.

Senator HARRISON. You had never thought about it?

Mr. FLETCHER. I had never thought about it.

Senator REED. And it took quite a little persuasion, too, didn't it?
Mr. FLETCHER. Yes; but maybe I shouldn't say that.
Senator HARRISON. How much persuasion did it take?

Mr. FLETCHER. Well, not very much, perhaps, but I declined it.
Senator HARRISON. These fellows who have to be persuaded are
curious to me. You had to be persuaded to take public office?
Mr. FLETCHER. I think there are a few like that.

Senator HARRISON. I think probably there are a few exceptions.
Senator WATSON. But they are not in the Senate.

Mr. FLETCHER. Maybe they would like to be there though.
Senator HARRISON. Who indorsed you for the place?

Mr. FLETCHER. I do not know, sir. I had no idea.

Senator HARRISON. Did you ask anybody to indorse you?
Mr. FLETCHER. No; I did not.

Senator HARRISON. With whom did you confer except with the President about the proposition?

Mr. FLETCHER. I did not confer with anybody. I spoke with Senator Reed over the telephone, and that was all. I conferred with my wife.

Senator HARRISON. Senator Reed, of course, called you up?

Mr. FLETCHER. He did.

Senator HARRISON. And that was the first intimation you had that you might be appointed?