New-York tribune., 1921-02-22
House Feels
I4a1ldis Should
Quit One job
Impeachment Is Not Prob
able, Say Members, but
Indicate They Ought TO
Act to Stop Such Cases
Welty Repeats Charges
Declares That Baseball Is
Organized ON the Plan of
the League of Nations

From The TTibnne's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.- Federal
Judge Kenesaw Mountain Lands is not
subject to impeachment for holding
the place OF national arbiter ot organ
lied baseball while serving on the
bench but the continuance of such
practices may become ruinous to the
judiciary.
Briefly put, that is the attitude of
majority of the House Judiciary Com
mjttee revealed to-day at the opening
Of their investigation of the impeach
ment charges brought against the
jurist by Representative Benjamin f,
Welty, Of Ohio. Representative James
". Hustled of New York; William d.
Eoies, of Iowa, and Wells Goodykoontz
Of West Virginia, announced &fter the
hearing that they did not believe
Judge Lands should be impeached, but
that he ought to resign one Of the
Jobs. Other members of the commit
tee stated privately that they would
axe the same stand,
1t is expected that in it's report the
committee will rec commend that it bc
made violation of law for a Judge to
hold two Offices. The report VII also
probably include condemnation Of
Judge Landis's action.
Mr.. Welty was the only witness heard
to-day. He charged that organized
baseball had bribed Judge lands in
Offering him the place he holds. The
object, Mr.. Welty charged, was to pre-
vent prosecution of the Chicago White
SoX team
Landis, Lawyer, Nothing
"K NJ Landis, lawyer, meant moth
ing to organized baseball, but K, NJ.
Lind s, judge of TIE Federal Court of
the United States, was worth any price
he might ask" was a statement attrb
uted by Mr.. Welty to a baseball mag
nate
"If that was the intent" continued
Mr., Welty, does the act not bring it
within the law of bribery? If these
baseball magnates who were found
guilty here and fined S240,00O are per-
chief arbiter of an illegal trust, then
what would prevent the baseball play
crs. now under indictment for throw
ng games, from employing Judge Lam
dis?
Judge Lands has right to yield
10 the feshpots of illegal combinations
hlt he should not bring all of our
dietary into i'll repute.
of the country approves the dual
ole of Judge Lands, then the House
i'll be called upon to prescribe a new
tandard for our Judiciary beca SO
.lere are others who would be pleased
o employ some judge.
But l do not believe the American
gle is 50 dead as to permit any Of
: to escape our duties in this matter.
Representative Hustled asked Mr
Wolty: "Where would our judiciary be
all our Federal judges entered int
his kind Of business? The Federal
Judges cannot handle all their work
now, and baseball is one Of the biggest
businesses in the country"
Calendar Crowded
"Don't you think" interjected Rep
resentative Boies, chat public opinion
will force Judge Lands to give up
Jne of the positions 2"
But the House should do its duty
and stop such action by Judge Lands
IT by any other judge for all time"
replied Mr. Welty. "If Judge Lands
is allowed to hold two offices why
couldn't the packers or the Steel Cor,
poration employ all Che justices Of the
;upreme Court as arbitrators in their
business"
81 have information," he continued.
"that 300 cases are pending in his
court. | have letter from an attorney