Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-25
Choice Of President VIII
son to Act in Place
of M'kab.
LATTER GIVEN RELEASE
Executive Scores the Retiring
Prosecutor for His Unbe-
coming Action.

Washington, D. C., June 25.-Presi-
dent Wilson and Attorney General Nc
Reynolds had an early conference to-
day to select a special prosecutor for
the Caminetti-Diggs white slave case
and the Western Fuel company indict-
ments in San Francisco. An an
nouncement will be made before the
end Of the day.
With the wheels Of the department
OF justice again grinding on the cele-
brated cases, administration officials
made no effort 10 conceal their relief.
Official Washington reflected that feel
ing. Probably no issue with which
the president has had TO deal since
his inauguration has attracted such
widespread attention.
The attitude of White house officials
today in declining TO comment on
the latest declaration of the federal
grand jury ct San Francisco and the
attack of former United States At
torney McNab upon McReynolds for
his postponement of the prosecutions
was that the action of the president
and attorney general in ordering the
cases TO trial speaks for itself.
No UNWORTHY MOTIVE.
It was the ofncial view that, how
ever mistaken McReynolds' cursory
view Of the situation upon which
he ordered a postponement. his action
was free from any unworthy motive"
and II was pointed out that the cor
respondence made public at the White
house last night shows that the at
torney general himself reversed his
position and was approved by the
president. The presidents attitude
now was said 20 be that the selection
of capable counsel 20 carry the case
10 trial was sufficient demonstration
Of a sincere wish to have a vigorous
prosecution.
II is the presidents intention to Sc
cure Francis J. Heney, If possible, to
take the cases. He is regarded as
especially desirous because he has no
political interests with the administra-
tion. With the selection OF Prjse-
cutors and McNabs resignation, the
White house will consider the noted
cases a closed incident.
grapked United States District Attor-
new John L. McNab Of San Francisco
accepting the latter's resignation, the
form of which the president charac-
teriied IAN inexcusable intimation of
injustice and wrongdoing" on the part
of Attorney General McReynolds
In a letter 10 the attorney general
the president eXonerated him from
blame and adopted Mr.. McReynolds'
suggestion that the Caminetti-Diggs
and the Western Fuel company cases
be prosecuted Immediately by special
counsel for the government.
Developments were rapid during the
day in the situation which was precip.
itated by the kilograms of Mr.. McNab
on Saturday to the president and the
attorney general accusing the latter
of yielding TO "rich and powerful in
huences' in ordering 4 postponement
of these cases. the father Of one OF
the defendants being Anthony Camin
etu. commissioner general of immi
grafton.
First the president telegraphed Mr.
McNab as follows:
Il greatly regret that you should
have acted so hastily and under sc
complete misapprehension OF the actu
al circumstances, but since you have
chosen such a source, and have giver
your resignation the form of an mex
cusable intimation of injustice anC
wrongdoing on the part OF your super
for, l release you without hesitation
and accept your resignation. 10 take
effect at once"
ORDINARY PROCEDURE.
Attorney General McReynolds' state
ment that he ordered q postponemen
Of the cases as an ordinary procedur,
in criminal trials, without expecting
that "any fair-minded man" woulC
attribute fnalign motive" TO him
was acknowledged by the presiden
in this letter TO the attorney general
ALLOW me 10 acknowledge with sin
cere appreciation your letter OF today
giving me q full account of the wa,
in which the department OF justic
has dealt with the Digg- -Caminetti an
the Western Fuel company cases
pending in California, and transmit
ting the documents connected wit
the two cases necessary for thei
elucidation. | am entirely satisfie
that the course you took in both thes
cases was prompted by sound an
impartial judgment and a clear IL
stinct for what is fair and right
approve your course very heartily an
without hesitation.
But | agree with you that what W
may think of what has been done doe
not relieve US OF the obligation t