The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1921-02-25
STEP TO IMPEACH
lands is TAKEN
Charges Filed in House Based on
Receiving Baseball Salary
While a u. S. Judge.
SENATOR CRITICIZES JURIST
WeIty Charges High Grimes and Mis-
demeanors-CaIs Justice "Freak"
for Blaming Employer for
Youths Fall.

Washington.-On charges of high
crimes and misdemeanors, Federal
Judge X NJ. Landis of Chicago was m
peached in the house of representa-
tives by Representative Welty, Demo
crat, Ohio, because of his acceptance
of the office of supreme arbitrator of
baseball while still serving ON the
bench.
In taking this step, the Ohio mem
ber swept aside an opinion by Attor-
ney General Palmer that Judge Lands
was within the law, and that there was
no law making such acceptance a
crime, either misdcmcanor or felony.
The opinion was rendered recently by
the attorney general on the written
request of Mr.. Welty, who had ques-
toned the judges right to hold both
positions.
Before proceeding on the floor of
the house where his charges were read,
Mr. Welty refused request by Sena-
tor Dial, Democrat, South Carolina,
to include in the general indictment
statements attributed to Judge Landis
in refusing to send to Jail young OF
tawa Qll.) bank clerk because of the
belief that officials of the bank were
responsible for the clerks peculation
by failure to pay him living wage.
Senator Dial, on receiving the Ohio
representatives refusal, announced he
would file complaint against Judge
Landis with the department of JUS
tice and attacked the Chicago jurist on
the floor of the senate, describing him
as freak and "crank." The
South Carolina senator characterized
Judge Landis' statement that the OF
tawa bank clerks employers were in
a measure responsible for the youth, S
theft Of $4,000 as "the most Bolshe-
vik doctrine l ever heard:" and added
that if the action taken by the judge
in paroling the clerk amounted to en-
cOuragement of such acts as those of
the clerk sit is striking at the foun-
dation of our government"
There was no comment in the House
when Mr. Welty concluded the reading
of a formal indictment of Judge Lam
dis. On his own motion, as is custom
airy in such proceedings, the indict-
ment was referred to the judiciary
committee without debate Less than
a third of the members present voted
and number of scattering voices We're
lifted in opposition Nobody asked for
iC,in t1f 1.-Two
wood, Democrat, Ohio, sitting in the
front row, clapped his hands, but 9TH
erwiSe there was no indication as to
how the House felt.
The next step will be by Mr.. Welty,
who will appear before the judiciary
committee with such witnesses as he
sees fit to call, to amplify his charges.
The committee will then decide wheth-
er to go ahead with the case. 1t has
the power to dismiss the charges and
so report to the House, and adoption
of such a report would eNOnerate
by Mr. Welty.
Belief was expressed in House cir
cles that the case would be thrown out
by the committee, in view of the opin-
ion by the Attorney General. In that
event the end would come before adj
journment of Congress, March 4. Adj
journment, however, would not stop
proceedings should the committee find
enough evidence to send the case on
to the House.
In impeachment proceedings the jul
dietary committee acts in similar ca
pacity to a justice of the peace. The
House is the grand jury, and if the
House indicts it transmits its findings
to the Senate, which becomes the final
court. 1t requires only a majority vote
for the House to indict, but a two
thirds vote by the Senate is necessary
to convict.
Chairman Nolstead of the Judiciary
committee said no meeting had been
called to hear Mr. Welty, but he prob
ably would appear within week