The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1921-11-09
SENATOR WATsoNs PLAIN DUTY

and seems to be bent on destroying
his own capacity for service in the
Senate.
Whatever a Senator may think or
whatever he may do, he is still the
representative of great sovereign
state in the highest deliberative body
In the nation and when he puts an end
to his unselfishness in that body, he
ends his real power to truly and well
represent his state.
That Senator Watson is a man of
ability, even his bitterest enemies will
confess. That he has forensic talents,
literary attainment and other equip
ments for real representation in the
United States Senate, here can be no
question Of doubt.
When he told the people of Georgia
he was going to Washington and make
them such senator as they would be
pleased to possess, the people Of the
state INDUCED the hope that he was in
dead earnest. But he was not; the
spotlight calls him; to be in the CEN
tere of its rays in his very hearts
blood and to have the white light beat
about his head; to occupy large space
on the front page of the great news
papers, and any sacrifice of public
opinion and public esteem, is his hob
by.
AS we say-and we say 1t kindly,
it's pity for the Senator and it is
more of pity for the state. Georgia
has much for an able Senator to do in
these days of resdjustment. She has
reason to expect mnch of them and
it's embarrassing to the State, when
her junior Senator ears the condem-
nation sof thousands of light thinking
men and newspapers an | when such
men as General PeTshiIg, Secretary
Weeks. former Secretary Baker and
OF others are for ed to give
him almost the lie direct.
Now fer instance here II the New
York Times, normally + mocratic
which in it's issue . a few
days ago, dealing with the Watson
force says:
nnCIf nur CT Inn
more about military executions in
France than Senator Watson or
the volunteer correspondents up
on whom he depends TO prove his
case that American soldiers were
hanged without court-martial In
France and shot down like dogs"
by officers General Pershing
states that the charges OF Mr..
Watson in the Senate are "the
most outrageous and untrue ac-
cusations that could possibly be
made and are absolutely without
foundation" Other commanding
officers have protested that the
charges made by the Senator
from Georgia were false. Perhaps
II was because Mr.. Watson's "ev-
idenee," as presented in the Son
ate, was so obviously ridiculous
as we'll as because responsible ar
my officers positively denied that
there had been secret executions
lin fact, any but those following
court.martial sentences--that the
Senate was inclined TO drop the
inquiry proposed Senator Wat
son having already discredited
himself and lost his case in the
view of the country. Fortunately,
wiser counsels prevailed. and the
Senate yesterday adopted a reso-
luton offered by Sepator Brande-
gee to appoint a special commit.
tee to inquire into the charges.
with power to subpoena witnesses
and call for Government docu-
ments.
Senator Watson still insists that
he has a constitutional right to
present his case In the open SEN
ate and demands: why try to
eutrap and cage me and silence
me in committee room?" He
will find that he cannot fight eth
er the Senate or public opinion.
He can present no case In the
Senate that will be, valid. and II
he persists in posing as mar.
tyr and wasting the time % that
body with his frantic and unseen.
Is declarations and detianoes the
presiding officer will be justified
IN no conspiracy TO bis senses
There can be no conspiracy TO
deny Mr.. Watson the right and
opportunity to try his case before
the committee of inquiry in open
session. and that Is the only tri.
bunal before which itroan he fully
tried under the proper ssanctio1s :.
All of which Is true and refeei o.
the people OF Ge1rgia as certainly a
u rejects on Senator Watson.