The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-07-12
EMBARRASSING WILL
SONS Administration
The Presidents Chief Newspaper Supporter Demands That
Attorney General McReynolds Retire
From the New York World

III DtS ocI fCc ohoo CoHCo ~ DuSHSs
the Wilson administration is to resign the Office of Attorney Gen
eral of the United States. We say this in full appreciation of Mr.
McReynolds acknowledged ability as a lawyer and with full conf
dence in his personal and official integrity.
Mr.. McReynolds action in the socalled "white slave" cases
has made him a burden of embarrassment to the administration. 1t
is now evident that he will be a continuing burden OF embarrass-
ment if he remains at the head of the Department of Justice. He
has put both the administration and the Democratic party on the
defensive, and both of them have infinitely more important business
than that of dissipatng their energies in making unnecessary
excuses.
1t is true that the California case in itself is petty and trifing
in relation to the great work of the Department of Justice. 1t is
true also that the ofense charged should have been prosecuted
under the laws of California, and that the courts of the United
States should never have been compelled to take cognizance of it.
But these facts afford no shelter to the Attorney General.
He did not interfere because he believed the law had been per-
verified, but because he believed that justice should be administered
to suit the convenience of Federal offce-hoders. 1t is now plain
from the additional records made public in the Times that his in
reference was not accidental or even t%houghtless, but that his order
to District Attorney McNab was issued after he had received re-
peated warnings that political influence was being used to obstruct
the prosecution of the cases. 1t is also plain from the records that
Mr. McNab has made public that it was not Secretary Wilson alone
who desired such postponement in order that the father of one of
the defendants could first have time to famiiarize himself with his
duties as Commissioner of Immigration Mr.. Caminetti himself
had long been seeking such postponement. and District Attorney
McNab had written to him that "your wel-known political promi
nence has already brought forth suggestions that the case has been
continued for political reasons"
As late as June 3 the District Attorney informed the Attorney
General of Mr.. Caminettis repeated requests for a postponement
and said:
81 have written to Caminetti with the utmost candor and frank
ness, informing him Of the condition of the public mind and saying
to him that both he and this Office will be subjected to the bitterest
public criticism if these cases again be postponed"
The Attorney General could not very well have forgotten this
letter when Is days later he ordered the cases postponed. If he
did forget, his memory is too erratic to be trusted in the compli-
Gated affairs of the Department Of Justice.
To make matters worse. the Caminetti Diggs matter is involved
with the fuel cases in which the Attorney General again interhred with
the administration of the law. We have no doubt that Mr.. Nc
Reynolds motives were honorable, but here, too, he resorted to the
ancient Republican abuse of making the enforcement of the law a
political and personal matter. In an administration that owes it's
very existence to the revolt against privilege, such practices are
intolerable.
Mr.. McReynolds has given to the enemies of the Wilson adj
ministration their first opening He has proved to be the weak
spot in the Presidents armor. AS long as he remains in the office
picion. 1t is the point at which the Wilson administration will be
attacked at every turn. and it is the point at which the administra-
ton cannot afford to be attacked. In the enforcement of the law
the country must believe that the Wilson administration is beyond
all private and privileged influence.
There will be NO such belief while MI. McReynolds holds the
Office of Attorney General. The confidence that is imperative has
been forfeited. 1t can be restored only by the retirement of MI
not repeat the blunders that have destroyed Mr.. Metropolis USE
fulness as head of the Department of Justice. incidentally, if the
Secretary of Labor and the Commissioner of Immigration should
retire to private life with him, we cannot believe that the public
service will suffer in consequence.
Secretary of State Bryan In The Commoner