New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-14
IRON Yhe tribune Bureau. ]

From Tho Tribune Bureau
Washington, April Is.
WHO Is RRANDEIS IF YOU ask that
question OF most OF the senators and Rep
resentatives in Washington who keep tab
on affairs in the national capital, they will
promptly reply. why. he is the attorney
employed by Golfers Weekly 20 make the
most OF the Pinchot-Glavis conspiracy
against the Taft administration and to fur
Eish q large amount of spicy material for
the publication he represents" But II said
Senator or Representative happens 10 re-
feet that he may be called upon TO sub
stantiate his statement on the witness
stand. he will probably add. ''of course.
THAI IS merely my belief: but I have not the
facts TO prove II. so for heavens sake dor {
quote me- Officially, Louis D. Brandeis a
Boston lawyer. is the attorney for L. r.
CLAWS, the discharged special agent OF the
Land Office. who. probably. is enjoying
keenly the discontinue 10 which his attor-
ney' has been able to subject Secretary
Ballinger. The discrepancy between Mr..
Brandeis's official position and his actual
position which occasions incredulity on the
mart Of all who have seen Brandeis in &C
ton is that his ability so far outranks any
thing which the financial resources of CLAWS
could purchase. For CLAWS is believed TO
be man OF very moderate means. while,
whatever else may be said OF Brandeis. he
is not cheap lawyer-in the sense that
his service can be procured with a small
retainer
WHAT Is BRANDEIS?- question
naturally follows the first. and it is one
which. in part. can be easily answered.
Louis D ,Brandefs is one of the srnartest
lawyers who has appeared before a COM
mittee of Congress for many. many years.
He can inject an ugiier insnuation and
deeper insult into question framed in per-
fectly parliamentary language than any
man recently observed in Congress He
can convey an impression favorable 10 his
clients. but not borne out by the facts, 10
the men az the press table with an ingenu-
ity which stamps him genius-of a
kind. He has a memory which is the envy
Of every man who watches him in action.
No detail escapes his notice. and no Incl
dent escapes his recollection. There are
about four thousand closely printed pages
in the record OF this investigation TO date.
and il is q safe assertion that Brandeis can
give you instantly the exact volume and
page of any line Of testimony in the record.
L is hardly necessary 10 affirm that Bran
deis is a shrewd Judge of human nature.
He finds the weakness of an opposing wit
ness with unerring accuracy, and plays
upon il With some he utilities robust
voice, shouting his questions in tones which
completely upset the unfortunate on the
witness stand. With Others. not to be dis
comfted by thunderous tones. he puts his
questions in an oily. insinuating tone cal
culated 10 arouse the anger of The witness
and cause rage 10 blind him TO the purpose
Of the questions. And finally. Brandeis
possesses the rare sense Of knowing when 70
stop With a witness like United States
Marshal Love. who proved thoroughly able
&c meet the attorney on his own grounds,
Brandeis was remarkably brief; while when
he has exasperated the members OF the
committee 10 the extreme limit of their en-
durance he Crews gentler than sucking
dove and more persuasive than a second
hand clothes dealer trying to sacrifice him
self to give you bargain
WHY IS BRANDEIs?-Brandeis is be-
cause Of the long established fact that
mans integrity is as delicate as a woman's
honor. By a shrewdly planned conspiracy
OF slander-called undertaking IN the par
the character of the Secretary Of the In
terror and certain of his official associates.
Without going into the genesis of this con-
spiracy, which has been discussed in this
column, il has resolved itself into the cap
italization Of defamation. the destruction
Of character for pecuniary gain, a gain
won from the insatiate demand for scan
dal. Secretary Ballinger, long bound to
silence by the demands of loyalty TO his
chief. the President. finally sought a court
Of inquiry TO establish in the public mind
that confidence in his integrity and honor
which il had been sought TO destroy The
court met and the investigation began.
Every suggestion that Brandeis. whose
ability and adroitness have proved amply
sufficient to control the method Of proceed
IRE. should be circumscribed by the rules
of evidence or the bounds Of decency. has
been met with the argument that if the
committee denies absolute license to the
accusers Of the Secretary the investigation
will be regarded as a "Whitewash,'' and