The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-11
IS b|G CONSPIRACY PLANNED TOFORCE: M'REYNOLDS OUT?! Papers Which Wanted Mel len Prosecuted Are Now Demanding Immunity FOLK CHIEF AID IN
 EMBARRASSING HIM Attorney General Has Already Done More Toward Trust Dissolution
 Than Any of His Pre-
 decessors
By c. E. STEWART

Washington, June 1o.-(Special)-1s there a conspiracy existing within a con- spiracy to force Attorney General Me- Reynolds out of the Wilson cabinet? Was there a conspiracy to have Charles S. Melen testify before the interstate com merce commission in order that the for mer president of the New Haven might earn immunity? These are the questions that the friends of Attorney General Mo- Reynolds are asking, and are limiting at as an offset to the vicious attacks made upon the cabinet officer by certain news papers who were loud in demanding that Mellen be allowed to testify.
 Now that Mellen has concluded his "re- smarkable and thrilling" account of the New Haven rottenness, and nothing new came to light that particularly startled the country, there exists an evident anx- tety on the part of many as to what the Attorney General will do. The action of the Attorney General, and the lack of satisfaction he has given to all who have inquired as to whether he will take steps . to prosecute Mellen, has brought out Berries of yelps from several New York newspapers who have been persistent In their attacks upon the head of the de- pertinent of justice.
 Asks for Immunity Papers
 That 1t was the hope of Mellen that he 2 had earned immunity, and that this hope that he would do so led him to testify Is evidenced by the fact that immediately after his last appearance on the stand. his personal counsel, John H. W. Grim. demanded of the department of justice documentary evidence that Mellen had earned his immunity bath. No satisfac- tion was given Mir. Grim, and the attor- ney immediately let it be known that he would make motion in bar to fore stall prosecution on the grounds that Me- len was now immune because of his testi- mony In the case.
 There promises to be lively little is- sue fought out over the New Haven busi- ness, which has injected itself into politics in the cabinet circles. The friends of Me Reynolds resent very much the activities of Folk and the newspapers hostile to the Attorney General. They are inquiring why it is that Solicitor Folk failed to bring out that Mellen's testimony in n,any instances was not true, when he had the evidence furnished him by the 2 spa rtment of justice to that effect They are de- manding to he. insS"nged why it was that MT. FOX did not develop the fact that
 
 ing Mellens testimony, received large sums of money for advertising financial promotion schemes of the New Haven, when Mellen was at it's head, which of itself is question: ble under the law re- quirfng advertising to be marked as such in publications.
 First Bring Relief
 On behalf of the Attorney General in the controversy it is contended that his po- . no f- stat . ss the beginning. First, he wanted to bring relief to the railroad, and those who had been made to suffer through the manip- ulation of New Haven affairs. At the same time he wanted to avoid if possible a long litigation lasting over a number of months, during which time uncer- tainty as to the fate of the road it's se- curities and everything concerned would reign. He realized that such a situation would have a demoralizing and depressing effect upon business in New England and would in fact effect the business of the entire country With the fear of criminal prosecution as a big stick, the Attorney General went to work to solve the New Haven difficulties and devoted months of patient toll to that end. From the stand point of the Sherman law he was suc- cessful. So successful that his work won the commendation of the President and of the innocent stockholders of the entire New Haven system. He devoted himself entirely to the civil proceedings necessary to bring relief to those whose money was tied up in the New Haven system, which was in great jeopardy because of the great shrinkage in the values of those se- curities. Receivers for the Boston and Maine were imminent, and the road was on the verge of bankruptcy
 Made No Promises
 He never at any time, declare his de- lenders, made any promises to any one as to criminal prosecution. He made no public statement certainly concerning what he would do in that respect He said repeatedly that criminal prosecution was possible. but that first he wanted to save the situation as far possible and then 1T necessary after that was done the ras- calls could be attended to.
 Now those who yelled so loud and con cemned him so freely for not bringing criminal proceedings, are letting out a hoiler, because he declines to admit that Mellen has earned immunity.
 The Attorney Generals friends insist mat he has done more to carry out the provisions of the Sherman act in the dis solution of monopoles in the brief time that he has been at the head of the de- partment of justice than any of his pred ecessors. They point to his record and declare that it sustains him.
 The President has repeatedly asserted that he had the greatest confidence in the Attorney General and that the stories of his resignation, or that he would retire from the cabinet. were dreams" The friends of the Attorney General believe that there are certain influences at work trying to force him to resign if for no other reason purely from disgust but it is not believed that MT. McReynolds will give his enemies the pleasure of forcing |.