South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-09
Other Editors Than OnrS
NEWBERRY AND LORIMER.
(E'ort Wayne journal GaZette.)

The action of the republican United States senate
in soft pedaling investigation into the charges
of wholesale corruption the part OF Sen. New
berry of Michigan in securing his election
takes a peculiarly sinister aspect light of
the indictment of the grand jury in Michigan of
the senator the charge of corruption and fraud.
While the public does not know the evidence sub
mitted TO the grand jury,-and by the way pre-
sentation in charge of Frank Daley of this
state-it does know enough to know that, the law
hagrantly and impudently violated. and enough
to suspect that Newberry with his millions deiber-
ately buy senatorship If half that APP
pears on the surface is true Newberry has gone far
very far beyond anything that Lorimer, who
expelled from the senate, did. And if half is
and the United States refuses to act
upon the showing that body will become a stencil
in the nostrils of the decent and women of
the country For IL half Is true and the senate de-
clines to act the natural and proper assumption Of
the people will be that a majority of the members
OF the United States senate approve of corruption
There can be no other Interpretation of such lack
of action.
And yet S not an easy matter TO expel a man
from the senate the charge OF having secured
his seat by corrupt methods 1t possible in the
of Lorimer only after the bitter battle.
In investigation. when the senate was republi-
can, he eXonerated. And that nOtwthstand-
ing the fact that like Beveridge and Root
spoke in favor OF his expulsion. When the demo-
got control of the and a new investi-
cation ordered and four presumed to be
favorable TO the assumption of Lorimers innocence
and four convinced of his guilt were named to con-
duct the investigation II developed within three
weeks that Sen. Jones of Washington who al
been appointed anti-IlOrimer and had spoken
against Lorimer three months before. suddenly be-
the most aggressive Lormer senator the
committee. This left the brunt of the fighting
Sen. Kern and Lea, democrats and Kenyon repub .
Hcan, all excellent lawyers The Indiana di
rected the fight assisted by Lea and Kenyon. dur
ing the years OF tiresOme investigation and the
a effort thereby o
velop the facts, brought 10 the light such unmis-
taxable evidence Of guilt that Lorimer's ven
cradle colleague. Cullom voted against him ana he
expelled.
II hoped then that politicians had been
taught the lesson that the purchase OF in the
will be tolerated by the people by the
with that before him Newberry set out
10 become senator With that verdict before him, he
resorted scandalous OF money. And with
this and brazen exhibition OF indiffer-
10 public opinion. the has manifested
utter indifference.
But when a federal grand jury indcts a United
States senator for the serious crime a senator
commit short OF treason, il Will hardly be pos
sibe for the senate TO maintain its pose Of ndif-
ference. Mr.. Newberry and all like him must either
be shown that seats in the senate cannot be pur-
chased; or the people must be shown that seats in
the senate purchased.
No time should now be lost in pressing the inves .
tg0tion. The senate cannot afford to under the
imputation "a connivsnce and acquiesence in crime.
And IL is time that II be definitely settled that the
OF the United States shall become
stencil in the nosrils OF the people. IL Is that
Mr. Newberry is bitter against Prest Wilson and
the League Of Nations but that scarcely
justify the republicans OF the senate in becoming
his defenders