Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-15
G. 0. P. FEELING
STING OF SLOW
0. *. OF PALMER
German Influences Get
Senate Republicans In
Hole They Regret.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Z
Washington, D. c., Aug. ia.
Mitchell Palmer is about to be con-
firmed By the senate as attorney
general after an unprecedented de-
lay. Not only is it most unusual
for the senate to take exception to
the appointment by president of
secretaries for his official family,
but generally when the cabinet ap-
pOintee has been a member of con-
gress the senate accepts the nomi-
nation without question A re-
markable chain of circumstances.
however. has delayed the confrma-
ton of Mr.. Palmer. 1t is a chapter
in Republican management which
some of the Republicans themselves
frankly wish had not happened and
it is but another instance in which
one or two Republicans have
swerved the party from straight
course 1t might otherwise have
taken.
For just as German influence
once placed its hand on the Demo-
cratic chairman of the senate for
eign relations committee, the late
Senator Stone Of Missouri, so have
German influences seemed to affect
this time the other side of the po-
litical aisle of the senate. The
story of the delay in the confrma-
tion of Attorney General Palmer in
wolves the drastic action which he
took as alien property custodian in
getting hold of German property in
the United States during the war
and preventing German spies in
German insurance company branch
es in this country from aiding Ger
many or using the funds of Ameri
can concerns which they controlled.
Some OF these insurance companies
sent complete maps and data of in
dustrial plants which they had in
sured back to the headquarters of
the German spy system for appar-
ent use in sabotage work and the
alien property custodian dealt Sc
verely with these concerns when
empo wered to do so by law.
Palmer's Victims Raise Howl
Accordingly when Mr. Palmer
was named as attorney general per-
sons in New Jersey who had been
affected by the alien property Gus
todian's acts caused protest to be
made Senator F,relinghuysen of
New Jersey, who had voted against
the trading with the enemy act.
made the objection in the senate
which caused Mr.. Palmer's nomi-
nation to fail in the last session of
congress And when a Republican
congress was convened in May, the
New Jersey senator persuaded his
Republican colleagues to hold an
investigation of Mr.. Palmers
record.
It is the story of that investiga-
ton which is coming to light just
as a subcommittee consisting of
Senators Dillingham;. Fall and
Sterling, Republicans. and Over
unanimously to recommend the
confirmation Of Mr. Palmer.
Find Probe Bad Step.
The fact that Senators Dilling-
ham, Fall and Sterling decided in
favor of Mr.. Palmer is clear evil
dence that the Republican leaders
in the senate found the .investiga-
ton to have been mistakenly be-
gun. And this Is why:
First, a series of three secret
meetings were held by the subcom-
mittee at which Senator Freling-
huysen was given an opportunity
to present several communications
rejecting upon Mr.. Palmer's ad-
ministration of the office of alien
property custodian. Former Attor-
ney General Lewis of New York
appeared at one of these sessions
making serious charges among
them that Mr. Palmer was without
authority to sell any enemy prop
erty and had made himself liable
to millions of dollars OF damages.
This came as a shock to the com
mittee which was relieved only
when it discovered that Mr.. Lewis
was mistaken about the law and
admitted that he was mistaken.
Show Huns Oppose Him.
By the time the investigation had
reached this stage Mr.. Palmer de-
manded an open hearing and the
right to appear. The attorney gen
eraI has from time to time attend
ed these hearings answering all
charges as soon as made, and
pointing out again and again that
the attack. on him had been obvi- |
ously instigated by the Germans
whose property had been taken |
over during the war When press
from Germany arrived |
SboUinp how auxiOIlS GormaDv