The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-11-24
MARK SULLIVAN SEES No EXCUSE
FOR THE SHIPPING BOARD WASTE

pectcd and deplored by most OF US
here in Washington.
All public men are solicited by thetr
friends and business acquaintances 10
do this kind Of thing. Public men
with high personal standards try TO
avoid getting involved In this tind OF
practice. which is not the practicc OIL
law at all. but is the practice OF trad
ing upon personal relations. Several
lawyers who formerly were office hold
ers and gave up Office TO practice Ia"
have been active in this kind OF thing.
Some OF them have already been men
tinned in the Investigations. and others
will be drawn in this week or later.
There Is nothing wrong in what they
are charged with. but there is viola
tion of the highest personal STANDARDS
Of propriety. A lawyer who gets HIM
self elected or appointed 10 high office
STAYS in office for a brief period. and
then makes capital out of his experience
by settir.; UP law office in Washing
ton or elsewhere. and by getting tees
based not on his legal skill, but on his
personal relations with Government OIL
ncialS-such persons are unhapplly not
uncommon in either party.
An Unhappy Circumstance
Finally. as TO the involving of Presi-
dent Wilson's brother-in-law This IL
an unhappy circumstance from any
point Of view: but here in Washington
while the view is universal that l'reSi-
dent Wilson ought never to have al
lowed his brother-in-iaw TO be in a posi-
lion where this could happen to him, 1t
is also believed that the case IL not so
bad as fragmcntary and eX narte tes-
timonv makes 1t out. The well-in-
formed are confident that Mr.. BoliinS
did nothing seriously improper; put the
fact is President Wilson ought never 10
have pcrmittcd his brothcr-in-law--and
his brother-in-law ought never TO nave
permitted himself-to be in position
where even an unJustihablc accusation
Of scandal could be made.
In short President Wilson's brother
in-law ought never TO have sought an
appointment from Mr.. wilson ana MT.
Wilson ought never TO have given the
appointment If his brother-in-law ola
seek il. Here in Washington we were
all 4 good deal surprised when MT. BOIL
ing turned un as private secretary 10
Chairman Hurley Of the Shipping BoarG.
In the beginning Of Mr.. Wilson's ad-
ministration IT was the understanding
OF everybody that Mr.. Wilson had laid
down a firm rule to the effect that no
relative OF his should be appointed 10
office. . ~,
When he first became President, his
brother, then a Tennessee editor. was
widely discussed as possible appointee
TO an important office. When II came to
Mr. Wilson's attention he put his foot
on il fiatly and was reported TO nave
said that during his administration:
whenever man named Wilson should
he a candidate for appointive office. his
gencaiogv should be looked up TO the
third generation. and If any remote re-
lationship to the President should ap-
pear that would be a final bar
If the spir'' of that rui" had pccn
adhered to. President Wilson would
have been snared the unDleasantness
Of the prescn, incident at time when
he already has more troubles than any
generous person likes To see him have.
Downright. 1870. by y. Y. Evening
Post. Incl