The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-02-18
FILES CHARGES
AGAINST LAND|S
Impeachment of Chicago Judge Is
Up in House.
PlSH-P0SH, SAYS THE JURIST
Senator Dial in New Filings, Declares
Lands Unworthy to Sit on Bench,
and That His Doctrine is
Revolutionary.


Washington, Feb. 15.-Federal Judge
K. M. Lands of Chicago was attacked
IN the house by Representative Welty
of Ohio, who in impeaching the jurist
charged high crimes and misdemean-
Ors' in the acceptance Of the position
of arbiter OF organized Baseball at a
salary of $4,000 a year.
Should the house decide to adopt a
resolution for Impeachment, "a trial be-
fore the house Gar will be held and a
judgment will be rendered. Mr.. Welty
did not introduce q resolution for i'm
parchment, as is the custom, but arose
on question of high personal privi-
lege" and announced that he Inn
peached the Judge
Without debate, the Welty charges
were referred TO the judiciary commit
tee FOR investigation. There were
a few scattering noes"
Mr.. Welty said he would confine him.
self to the question of Judge LandiS
serving as supreme arbiter of baseball
while holding federal office.
Senator Dial announced that besides
seeking to have impeachment proceed
ings brought against Federal Judge
Lands in the house he would prefer
charges against him with the depart
ment of justice In connection with the
judges statement in the embezzlement
case.
There is little likelihood of action
by the Judiciary committee on the Wei
ty charges against Judge Lands at
this session of congress- Chairman
VOlstead said. 1.-THE fact that Mr..
Welty retires March 4 does not affect
the status of the proceedings, nor does
the case necessarily end with adjourn
ment of congress-" Mr.. VOlstead added.
mo arrangement has been made for a
meeting of the committee, but we
probably will hear Mr.. Welty shortly,
and If the committee believes there is
sufficient ground TO go ahead. it will
be necessary to adopt a resolution pro-
viding therefor"
Dial Resumes His Attack.
Senator Dial, resuming his attack
on Judge Lands in the senate, called
the judge freak" and "crank" and
said Judge Landis' attack on the SEN
atOr with reference to his connection
with banks and Southern cotton mills
was "demagOgic."
eff Judge Landfs' views, as shown
in his parole of this boy who embez-
zled $4,000 from a bank, were known
to the senate, he would never have
been confirmed by this body" said
Senator Dial. II conceive his parole
of this boy under the circumstances to
be revolutionary, and an Ohio Court
of Appeals has decided that sentences
suspended in this way are illegal.
Judge Lands affords the spectacle
of a federal judge who is also the
chief arbiter of baseball at $4,000.
The attorney general says there is
nothing illegal in a judge engaging In
business, but it was never expected
he would do so. There are 1,230 cases
on the docket in Judge Landis' court,
which it would take him two years to
hear, and it is the business of a Judge
to stay in the courthouse and attend
to his business. 1t brings his court
into disrepute. | have no criticism Of
baseball, although 1 know very little
about it. / suppose 1t Is innocent
enough and that if is all right to en-
gage in it with moderation.
"His reply to me shows he is not flt
to sit on the bench. I will not lower
the dignity of this body to reply to
this freak and crank as he replied
to me-"
Judge Lands Defiant.
Chicago, Feb. 15.-Judge Lands, no
titled unOfficially that impeachment
proceedings directed against him by
Senator Dial of South Carolina prob
ably would be started in the senate, re-
peated his defiance of the man who
has declared him to be unworthy of
the ermine."
cit isn't my judicial character that
has caused this attack" declared the
Judge. "The basis for the impeach-
ment movement was my plain state
ment concerning the responsibility of
employers and the question of fair
wages
Gas for this impeachment talk-it's
pish-pOsh."