Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-27
NEWBERRY LIKELY
TO RESIGN, SAYS
DAVID LAWRENCE
HY DAVID LAWRENCE

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
| Copyright, 1920, for The Atlanta Journal
WASHINGTON, March 25.-An-
nouncement by Governor Sleeper, Of
| Michigan, that he would not ask any
officeholders to resign who were re-
Gently convicted IN the federal
courts for violation of the election
laws, has revived the inquiry here
not merely as to what the state Of
Michigan would do, but what the
! United States senate would say
about the retention by Truman FL.
Newberry of his seat.
The question concerns not alone
Michigan politics and the reduction
Of the Republican majority in the
United States senate to one vote-a
| narrow margin on which to GO bust
ness-but it affects the opportunities
| Of the Socialists and radicals in the
next campaign. Already the Social
| lists are drawing a parallel between
the expulsion of Victor Berger from
the house Of representatives because
he had been convicted in federal
court On charge of violating the
| espionage act, and the case of Sena-
tor Newberry, who has been convict
ed and sentenced to two years in the
penitentiary.
Both Mr.. Berger and Mr.. Newberry
have appealed their respective cases,
and each hopes to secure a reversal
even If 1t Is necessary to carry the
fight to the supreme court of the
United States. But in the meantime
the house Of representatives not only
refused to seat Mr.. Berger, but when
he was reelected by the people OF
Wisconsin, who by their votes gaze
the impression that they didn't be-
lieve him guilty Of wrongdoing, the
house declined even then to accept
Mr.. Berger into its membership.
Soap Box Arguments
ALI the Soap-box orators are get
ting ready to point out that a So
| clallst can't get q square deal from
the federal government and the New
| berry case is the very ammunition
| they say they have needed to drive
their point home. Berger's friends
claim his crime consisted merely in
expressing an opinion-in saying
the war was not for democracy, but
for commercial gain and rivalry.
Some Of the very criticisms of
the war made by Mr.. Berger during
the heat of the conflict later were
| repeated in substance by President
| Wilson himself on his western trip
! In behalf Of the League of Nations,
but, of course, the fighting was over
and there was no sharp scrutiny Of
words or arguments in post-bellum
days.
There are three ways by which
| the problem developed by the New
| berry case can be solved. Mr.. New
| berry can resign of his own volition
and spare his colleagues in the SEN
ate any embarrassment. The senate
can by majority vote declare Mr..
| Newberry's seat vacant and the gov
ernor of Michigan can make tenn
| porary appointment and call a new
| election. The state of Michigan can
have a new election before the SEN
ate acts and say whether in view of
the federal courts verdict, the peo-
! pie still want Mr.. Newberry to rep
resent them in the senate.
| Then the senate in the event that
| the vote is favorable to Mr. New
berry, can vindicate it's own posi-
ton and reverse the principle adopt
I ed IN the house in the Berger case
and permit Mr.. Newberry to remain
| in the senate while his case is being
appealed.
Would Listen to Colleagues
| The JUNO senator from Michigan
has not yet returned to Washington.
! Immediately after his conviction he
said he would consult his colleagues
| in the senate before deciding wheth-
| er or not to resign.
Truman Newberry is the kind Of
man who would not stay in the
senate a second longer than his col
| leagues wanted him to do SO.
He would not engage in a contro-
versy or fight for his seat as did
Senator Lorimer, of Illinois, II he
stays. It will be because his Repub-
lican associates insist upon it., though
from the viewpoint Of political con-
troll, the vacancy caused by posi-
bic resignation of Mr.. Newberry
would be filled at once by tho ap-
pointment Of another Republican as
the governor Of Michigan Is Re-
publican. .,-.--
| Personally. Truman Newberry, is
we'll liked in the senate. He made
many friends here when he was as
sistant secretary Of the navy and the
general impression given by his de-
tenders is that he was the victim of
oyerzealous friends who spent large
sums Of money to defeat Henry Ford
and gave little concern to a possible
| check-up.
AS matter Of fact, although it is
unfortunate that Truman Newberry
alone should have been ordered pun
ished for what so many office-hold-
ers have gotten away with in past
years without prosecution of any
kind; the effect of the Michigan YER
die already has been to put cam
paign managers on their guard and
TO promote healthier regard for
federal and state corrupt practices
i acts and election laws.
The upshot of the Newberry case,
however, probably will be the volun-
tary resignation by Mr.. Newberry of
his seat in the senate.