Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02
CONGRESSMAN MooRE'S
LETTER
How A. Mitchell Palmer corralled the
RepublIeans--clyde Kelly az an
Expert with the Monkey
Observation-Disclosures
Gossip
Washington, Aug. ..

the Honorable A. Mitchell Palmer, at
corral most of the manufacturers and big
| hnanriers who have hitherto been regarded
as pretty strong Republicans. The sane
suggestion might apply with equal force TO
Senator Calder. of New York. and Senator
frelinghuyscn. of New Jersey, both of whom
I are strong factors in Republican councils.
The secret of Mr.. Palmer's popularity
with the big tinancicrs and business men,
who had very little interest in him when he
was boosting Wilson for President, Is due
TO the manner in which the alien property
custodian Office has been managed.
This office as well as the attorney gen
"ral himself are now under fire in the Senate
nnd House, but the manner in which the big
Fellows are not coming forward to oppose
Palmer is one of tho real curiosities OF the
political situation. The truth seems to be
that in the collection. operation and dis
tribution of German property in the United
states. aggrcgating in value q total OF
approximately 81 900 0OO. 900, the clever
alien property custodian appointed so many
Republican. dollar year men, along with
business directors, supcrintcndcnts. attorneys
and accountants, that many of those so
appointed do not care TO figure in any attack
on Palmer.
Quit" number of Philadelphia names arc
disclosed in the hearings on the Longworth
dy"StuitS bill, and they werc glecfully put in
the record by Francis p. Garvan, palmcr's
appointcc and successor Us alien property
custodian. to show that the latter has recog
nizcd Republicans as well as Democrats.
William H.. Folwell. an experienced
WOODEN and worStcds man, was ono Of
In dad AL.
certain large woolcn mills in New Jersey
and evidently did Il good job He has writ
ten that h" docs not approve 'thr dirty
work with respect to the Palmer invcst.
CATION. Robert i. Hooper. cotton duck
manufacturer of tho Union League. is an
other phladclphian who comes to tho rescue
of the Palmer -Garv0n outfit in letter
t" Mr. Garvan, in which the rrdoubtablc
Robert suggests that 1.-THE great antagOnism
we read of in the paper against Mr. Pal
mcr comes dangerously near the alien line"
Mr.. Hooper, who was treasurer of soy
cral of the New Jersey concerns taken
over by Palmer, takes this fling at those
who have been making inquiries about the
operation of the custodian's office: My
position as treasurer" he says. paid the
magnificent sum of S2500 a year per mill
which is but little more than ! pay to my
chauffeur.
EPEBL1CANS in Congress need all the
~ help and sympathy they can get from
members of the party who desire harmony.
During the last week the leadership has
received several severe iolts. and it has been
I'M to the Democrats to laugh. Part Of this
is due to ahscntceism and part to varying
opinions in the ranks.
Th" question Of adjournment for n FIVE
they did not want to go home, and by others
for reasons that would not have done credit
to n councimanic body. One member, for
instance, felt that Congress ought to stay
in session all summer if need be, because
some of his constituents were complaining
about tax on the fur that was Sewcd to
the collar of a mans coat. lie thought
Congress should not adjourn until that was
remedicd.
One of the worst freaks was the vote of
the Republicans on the carefully prepared
resolution of the war investigating com
mittce to compel Secretary of War Baker
to release the food supplies which the army
cannot use, that the people may have II
chance to purchase them at reasonable
prices. Everything went along splendidly
until the close of the debate, when Clyde
Kelly. of Pittsburgh. n Democrat last year,
who now sits on the Republican side, threw
monkey wrench into the machinery by
insisting upon an amendment to put Mr..
Burleson's parcel post in line for the dis
tribution. Enough Republicans fell for this
amendment and for Kelly's eloquence to
enable the Democrats to win on the propo
Sition and muddy the Republican waters.
Kelly had the support of General Hulings,
the old Bull Moose chieftain, which was to
be expected but must have been surprised
to find so many Pennsylvania regulars fol-
lowing his lead. The latter included Burke.
of Pittsburgh; Costello and Edmonds, of
Philadelphia; Crago, of Waynesburg;
Kiess, of Wlliamsport; Porter, of Pitts
burgh. chairman of the committee on for
eign affairs. and Walters, of Johnstown.
When the vote was announced the Demo-
Gratis cheered and Republican Leader Mon
dell looked as if he had gone through a
sweat box. 1t was the first setback for the
Republican investigating committee.
DAVID II. LANES eightieth anniversary
- review of things political was laid be-
fore that other interesting octogenarian, the
Honorable Uncle Joe Cannon. of Illinois.
The famous ex Speaker of the House of
Representatives drank in every word of
Uncle Dawes philosophy and chucklcd at
his kindly references to reformers. Uncle
Joe knew that Uncle Dawes admonitions
had broader significance than anything
that might pertain to Philadelphia politics.
He saw the gentle cyniCism of the Phil
adelphia philosopher reaching out into other
fields. into religion, into matters educa-
tional. into business affairs, into the motives
of men generally. the world over. But when
his eye lit on the tribute paid to Uncle Joe
as an exemplar of regularity if not of stall
wartism, to say nothing of those other vir-
tues eloquently depicted by Mr.. Lane, the