The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-10-30

subordinates rentured to make any of
these charges specific, or to identify
any Of the men against whom they
might have been aimed. Not once has
he or any Of his henchmen come into
the open. But on several occasions he
or they have talked thus vaguely
tbout the "disloyalty" of unnamed, un
specified and unidentified individuals
or groups OF individuals. On every oc.
casion when It has been sought to
evoke explicit information, they have
taken refuge in the cowardly obscur.
ity OF anonymity.
Mr.. Baker was playing the same
game. the game Of his chief, when he
issued the statement of last night. The
charge he was making was out OF rea-
son. II Mr.. Baker or anybody In the
administration has information justi.
flying such q charge, It is his sworn
duty to lay It instantly before the prop
er law officials and proceed to hale
the traitors before the bar of Justice.
IL Mr.. Baker does not do that he "a
violating the oath lie took to support
the constitution and the laws OF the
United States.
The time has come to call a halt
upon this reckless disregard for facts
and the truth which permits such un.
supported unspecific charges Of trea.
son and other high crimes to be ban.
died about so loosely and unchalleng.
ed by high officials Of the government
To quote the language of the Presi.
dent himself, 1T is time to put UP or
shut up"
Mr.. Baker knows that he cannot pu.
up, anu he seeks to evade responsible.
lily for this charge. Just as he seeks,
by absolutely false denial to ESCAPE
the responsibility for his astounding
utterances In Jersey City ten DAYS ago,
But even in his efforts at evasion, MIR,
Baker does not free himself from cul.
pability.
Challenged in Washington TODAY.
Mr.. Baker Joined with Secretary Ian.
sing In saying that the conspirators
to whom the statement of last night
referred we're not Americans who he
come to the American side OF the Dor.
der and were carrying on their plo,
ting In the United States. Every one
knows, he said, that large body of
men who have withdrawn from Mex.
Eco to this country arc constantly az
gressive against the Mexican govern.
ment. II MIR. Baker Knows Of a single
man to whom his assertion applies
and does not instantly invoke the pro.
cess OF the law against that man, then
he is simply guilty Of violation of his
duty and Of his oath to support the
constitution and the laws of the Uni
ted States. Mr.. Baker is himself a
lawyer. and II he does not know that
The acts he charges against these un.
named Mexicans In United States ter.
ritory are violations Of the JInitcl
states penal code, the poorest office
boy he ever had working for him conld
tell him and could find the statute vic.
lated III ter minutes or less. Which.
ever alternative Mr.. Baker chooses to
take convicts him Of dereliction OF
duty and OF unfitness for the office he
holds. Somebody in the Wilson adj.
ministration Is acquainted with the
provisions OF the federal statutes re-.
garding such offenses against the UNI
ted States as Mr.. Baker 30 lightly
charges in this statement, Somebody
invoked those provisions not so yery
long ago when Victoriano Huerta was
arrested at Ell Paso. Huerta died. a
prisoner Of the United States, In Ell
Paso last January. How does It han.
pen that the laws which were suffi.
Client for the needs Of the Wilson adj.
ministration in the case Of Huerta
are not invoked by the Wilson admin.
istration in Tue cases Of these con.
spirators thus denounced by Secretary
Baker and Secretary Lansing?
ut IL time to have an end Of false
hood and concoalment and hypocrisy
and politics IN this Mexican business,
and to have the Introduction Of firm.
ness and vigor and honesty and tair
DEALING"