The Washington herald., 1919-01-13
REEDS INTERFERENCE
TO SAVE HEARST STIRS
SOLONS TO OUTBURST
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE,

CONllN L EID Fhoh fAGE ONE.
about it, and that some of them are
getting near the point where they
may be expected to give expression
of their feelings. For one thing
the suggestion that it is necessary
Tor senator Reed to appear as
partisan advocate of Mr.. Hearst be-
fore a presumably impartial inves-
tIEating committee of Senators. in
order that truth and justice may
be protected, is not complimentary
either to the members of that com
mittee or to the Senate, for which
il acts.
His Motive Questioned.
What Senator Reeds real motive is
is a matter of much speculation. II
is possible that he honestly believes
that he is serving truth and justice
ny appearing as the defender and
champion of Mr.. Hearst before the
committee. Senator Reed has had a
great many queer notions in the last
few years.
He was one of the "willful twelve"
whom the President denounced for
blocking the passage of the armed
neutrality resolution. He was one OF
the opponents of the measure Great
ing the Food Administration, speak
ing scornfully of Herbert Hoover as
having recently emerged from OBJ
security. and he took occasion some
time ago, when Hoover was before a
Senate committee, to attempt to
heckle him in a very disaGrceable
manner. Throughout the war he has
been in frequent opposition to the ad-
mnistration and the views of the
overwhelming majority of the coun-
try, talking ever and anon about
"usurpation" of power
So. ii may be that his defense of
Hearst is simply a part of his kinky-
minded opposition to majority thought
during the entire war-he may have
got it into his head that ruthless
majority has been riding rough shod
over a helpless and praiseworthy mi
nority. and that he stands forth as
the champion unafraid of that mi
nority.
Some Practical Politics.
But there are persons who figure
that a little practical politics may be
at the back of his present perform
ance. Reed was a Champ Clark leader
in the Wilson-Clark fight for the
Presidential nomination in 1912 Hearst
was probably the most powerful single
asset Clark had in that fight-cer-
tainly the earliest considerable asset
and the most dependable. Clark is
reported now to have set his eyes upon
the 1890 nomination. and it is sug-
gested in some quarters that Reed
may expect to play part in Clark's
next campaign, and that he may have
counted it wise to place Hearst under
obligations.
Again. it is suggested that Reed
may have an eye upon the 1920 nom
ination for himself, and having seen
what Hearst was able to do for Clark.
may be desirous of having him do
as much as possible for him. That
sounds absurd to most people because
there are few who think at all of
Senator Reed in connection with the
Presidency, and none, so far as known,
who think of him as in any sense a
possibility. But it happens that Sem
ator Reed is the vainest man in the
United States Senate and probably
one of the very vainest in national
politics. He may not agree with those
who smile when it is suggested that
he has ambitions.
And, of course, various other rea-
sons are suggested for the Senator's
course, most of which he would not
regard as coming from his friends.