New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-06
La Toilette
son..

The demand for an investigation OF
Robert NJ La Folette's disloyal utter
ances has at last made itself felt even in
side the United States Senate. The Senate
is always reluctant to make trouble for
one of its own circle. Senatorial courtesy
is mantle which, like charity, can be
stretched TO cover a multitude of derelic
tons. There is, for example, the Lorimer
case. Also the Stephenson case. 1t took
the upper house a long time to arouse
itself to its duty to deal with the scandal
which the elections of those two statesmen
traied into the Senate behind them.
Lorimer and Stephenson were charged
with electoral corrupton--a fault COM
mon enough in the days in which they
fourished as politicians. But La Toilette
is charged with far more serious of
fence-disloyal utterances in time of war.
The demand for action against him has
therefore been peremptory and threaten
ing. And the Senate Committee on Privi-
eges and Elections has yielded to it far
enough to authorize a limited investiga-
ton of the Wisconsin Senator's activities.
That investigation, however hedged about
with technicalities is likely to open the
way to summary process through which
the Senate may rid itself of preacher of
seditiOn. shameless modern Copperhead.
The Tribune has already expressed the
opinion that La Toilette ought to be eX
relied. Whatever plea he may make to
show that he has kept within the letter of
the law since Congress declared war
against Germany. his whole public atti
tude since then has attested the fact that
he does not approve the grounds on which
this country went to war, and that his
whole influence has been exercised to en-
courage slackerism and dsaffection.
Congress recently passed a law which
visits with severe penalties any newspaper
which publishes matter hampering the
government in its conduct of the war.
According to Postmaster General Burle-
son. who has been invested with unlimited
censorship powers under this law. no news
paper publisher is to be allowed to say
that "the government got into the war
wrong" Such statements will be con-
strued as interfering with the wars sue
ccssful prosecutions But Mr.. La Toilette
at the ST. Paul meeting. spoke sneeringly
and contemptuously Of the grievances be-
cause of which our government was con-
strained to declare war on Germany. He
49, +bor
sions. He is doing what Congress has
forbidden newspaper editors to do. Shall
he remain immune, while others are being
punished for saying what he says under
circumstances which give his utterances
the widest and most dangerous publicity?
/ The Senate has absolute power to expel
an Objectionable member. 1t is not re-
quired to give him a legal trial. It can
eject him for any reasons which it con-
siders sufficient. Mr.. La Toilette has given
the Senate ample cause to expel him. He
has abused his public position to weaken
confidence of the people in the righteous
ness Of our case against Germany. lie
has been as offensive in his Copperheadism
as was Jesse D. Bright. back in 1862 And
the Senate expelled Bright with the en-
thusiastic approval Of the country.
Nh La Toilette may escape an account
ing for a time. because Congress is now on
the point of adjourning. But when the
Senate meets again it seems incredible
that it will refuse to infct on him the
penalty which his defiant Copperheadism
has so richly earned.