Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1920-07-01

Washington.-Eff on the part Of
partisan Republicans, pro-Germans and
their sympathlzers to assail the excep-
tionally competent record Of Attorney
General Mitchell Palmer when he was
alien property custodian have encoun-
tered pronounced boomerang. These
attempts have been repudiated and
condemned by more fair minded and
honest thinking Republicans, conspicu-
Gus among them being Senator Knute
Nelson of Minnesota, the chairman Of
the Senate Committee on the Judi
ciary
Senator Nelson's Republicanism 10
not to be uestioned by anyone, but he
Is not bigot, and he believes that
when one has done big Job and done
II efficiently and well, whether he be q
Democrat or Republican, he is en-.
! titled to the credit fer II, or at least
that he should not be assailed for Y
partisan advantage
When Mr. Palmer was nominated to
be attorney general he was naturally
the target Of attacks instigated by Ger
man sympathizers who we're prompted
In their hatred Of him by the fact that
he had taken over $500, 100000 Of enc
my property, which was being utilized
to the great detriment of this country,
and Americanized II. Senator Frellng.
huysen, Republican, of New Jersey
sought to prevent Mr.. Palmer's con-
frmation by the senate, and long in
vestigatiOn ensued, hut the Committee
on Judiciary, OF which Senator Nelson
is chairman and a majority Of whose
members are Republicans, after listen.
ing for two months to these charges
unanimously reported favorably on
Mr. Paimer's nomination, and he was
then speedily confirmed by the senate
But the pro-German interests were
not squelched by one signal defeat
They demanded an investigation into
Mr. Palmer's conduct of the allen prop
erty custodian's office, despite the fact
that the whole matter had been gone
over thoroughly when his nomination
for attorney general was before the
committee, Senator Calder Republi-
can, Of New York offered the resolu.
tion for an investigation.
Here Is what Senator Nelson, the
chairman OF the committee, had TO say,
AZ reported In the Congressional Rec
ord, In condemnation Of such action:
"What | want to say TO senator's IN
all seriousness is that Mr. Palmer had
a great task to perform. and he had to
work through many instrumentalities
He had to take in the range Of the en-
tire country. know from little mat
tiers that happened in my own state
how some of the German interests
took pains to cover up their tracks.
think he deserves on the whole great
credit for his work In ferreting out
German interests In this country and
Opposing OF them and putting them
into the hands Of the federal govern
ment There were instances In which
no took over industries and changed
them from being industries In the
hands of Germans into American in
dustrles engaged In the work Of pro-
duction for the necessities of the war.
II am unwilling, Mr. President, to
take up the time Of the senate more
than to say II Is my opinion, from the
investigation that took place before
the Judiciary Committee, that no case
can be made against Mr.. Palmer, and
there is no occasion for this investiga-
ton.
Il regret to say, and after all I do
not regret II, that am unable 10 wrap
myself up In a party political spirit In
a matter OF this kind look upon Il
from the standpoint Of the ordinary
American citizen. Mr.. Palmer had q
great task TO perform. He performed
II, in my opinion, as carefully and pru-
IDENTIFY as a man could under the cir
cumstances. In all instances where he
took possession of property and had to
sell II he was careful, as he was In
those cases that our committee lnvesti. |
gated to have board of independent
appraisers appralse the property, and
he would act according 10 their judg. |
ment. What more could a man dor
"Mr President. can see no good to
be accomplished by this proposed in
vestieation. and were 1t not for the
fact that | do not want to hurt the
feelings of my good friend from New
York (Mr Calder). | should move to
postpone the resolution"
Thus again the Republlcan-pro-Ge
man effort to successfully assaIl the
attorney general failed.