Gunnison news-champion., 1920-04-16
TREATY'S DEFEAT LAID
TO NEWBERRY'S VOTE
Gave Republicans Control Of the Sen
ate and Foreign Relations

T" aShlngton, ID. &. - In connection
with the conviction Of Senator Truman
II. Sswbery of Michigan for con-
spiracy 10 commit election fraud. and
the imposition of a sentence of two
years IN prison. II is now a matter of
comment IN Washington that defeat OF
the ratification of the peace treaty
was due 20 the presence of Senator
Newberry IN the Senate.
The slender majority gained BY SEN
ator NewberTy's presence in a seat
which the Michigan court has ad-
judge him guilty Of obtaining by
criminal practices, enabled the Repub-
hcans 20 organize the Senate and con-
troll all committees. II enabled Sem
ator Lodge and other Republicans TO
pack the Foreign Relations Committee
again, the peace treaty and President
Wilson. and thereby made il possible
TO load down the>treaty with distruc-
tive TcSefNations, which after many
month Of wearing debate, resulted in
the defeat of ratification. Had not
Senate Newberry participated in the
organlzatlon Of the Senate, the Demo
Gratis would have retained control of
the committees, and Senatar Hitch
cock would have remained as chair
man Of the Foreign Relations Com
mite, the treaty would have been re-
ported out many months ago. unques-
tionably would have been ratified in a
reasonable amount of time, and the
country would have been at peace,
business would have been stabilized
and industry would have resumed its
normal course.
May Not Gust Him.
In this connection il will be interest
ing 10 watch the course of the Repub-
lican Senate, holding slender major
tty OF but two votes, in the Ford New
berry contest Attorneys for Henry
Ford are urging prompt action by the
T Senate, but the necessity for partisan
! reasons, of maintaining this slight but
! effective margin probably will serve to
keep the Republican majority from
taking any prompt action to rid Its
number of member, even though the
stigma of conviction for crime is upon
him. Nor is il expected that New.
I berry will resign-certainly not before
/ his sentence is affirmed by higher
I court-for, though he will not likel,
| appear in the Senate and participate in
I its deliberations, he viii be paired
/ in his absence. and under Senate Gus.
/ tom, "pair" is as effective as vote
Newberry is the third member OF
the Senate in the last 30 years to bs
convicted of criminal practices during
tenure of office. The others went
I Senator John II. Mitchell of Oregon
who was membar of the Senate fol-
26 years, and Senator Joseph X. Bur.
! ton of Kansas. Both were Republi
cans, and each was convicted Of using
his influence as Senator before Gov
eminent Departments in Washington
for corrupt purposes. Senator Mitch
ell in gaining contracts for constit
uent and Burton for accepting a fes
for appearing as attorney before thu
Post Office department. Mitchell nevel
served any Of his sentence mol
did he resign from the Senate. H,
died in Portland, Ore, in 1905, befors
his term of Imprisonment began. Bur
ton served a term of six months. H,
did not resign from the Senate unit
his prison term began
The most recent Senatorial investi
! cation of course was the Lori
mer CASE, from Illinois. Lorimer wa!
expelled in 1912, when the Senat,
adopted a resolution declaring "tha
corrupt methods and practices wer'
employees in his election, and that tn,
election, therefore, was invalid"