Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-18
CONGRESS COULD
|MPEACH MELLON.
WATSON DECLARES
Georgia Senator Cites Stat
utes Showing Secretary
of Treasury Is Violating
Law by Retaining Position

WASHINGTON. Feb. 17.-Secre-
tary CT the Treasury Mellon could
be arrested and sent to the peni-
tertiary for holding his present Of
flee, Senator Watson, Of Georgia,
declared in the senate Wednesday
afternoon.
He said Mr.. Mellon holds his Of
flee in violation Of a law passed in
1889 which prohibits any man who
is engaged in commerce or bust
ness from becoming secretary of
the treasury or comptroller of the
currency.
Senator Watson said congress
could impeach Secretary Mellon,
under this law.
Senator Watson told the senate
that Mr.. Mellon could be impeach-
ed "any time we see fit" and read
ton 243 of the revised statutes
which, he declared, expressly for
bids Mr.. Mellon to retain his place.
He declared that by laying in, Of
flee, the secretary was violating the
law, adding that it was generally
known that Mr.. Mellon was one of
the wealthiest individuals in the
country.
The assertions by the Georgia
senator were made in connection
with several speeches on the &C
ccmplishments of the two major
political parties. He informed the
senate in the course of his remarks
that the law, now listed as section
243, was passed in the first con-
gress of the United States and that
during the administration of Presi-
dent Grant, the name Of A. L.
Stewart had been withdrawn as
nominee as secretary of the treas
ury when attention was called to
provisions Of the act.
Senator Watson asked Senator
Heflin, Democrat, Alabama, for his
opinion on what the people will
think of the way our government
is being run when criminal, I'M
convicted but ,disobeying the penal
ty openly and VIGOROUSLY, commit
ting a crime, is left in charge of
our national funds and the refund
ing of debts cf eleven billion dol
lars"
Senator Helm said that Senator
Y atson had shown that Secretary
Mellon was violating the law, Ind
that it was time Tor senators to
SPEAK out.
Mr.. Watson stated that Mr.. Stew
art had resigned three days after
hi confirmation by the senate and
after President Grant had learned
of the provisions of the law.
"And if Mr.. Stewart resigned"
continued The senator, why should
mot Mr.. Mellon resign? Why should
he continue in office in insolent VIC
l. oF To I,n
does President Harding know it,
I'D the Republics.l party is going
1t have to answer for it this fall, for.
G not believe the people will stana
{ open violation of the law by u
m ember of the cabinet when per-
sons throughout the Country are
prosecuted for trivial offenses.
A Colossal Figure
Asking why the president did not
"res, ect the statutes" Senator Wat
S, said that Mr.. Mellon was Elm
pudent' for retaining the office and
ought to resign.
"If The doesn't resign" he added,
then the president ought to ask
for his resignation
| The Georgia senator referred to
| IT,, recent passage of the allied debt
! funding bill md said that never beg
If in history had so mucH money
been placed in the hands of one man
to handle, land that man is violating
the law every day of his life" He
challenged "all of the lawyers in the
senate" to refute his statements rel
alive te-Mr. Melons right to remain
as secretary.
Mr.. Watson referred to Mr.. Mellon
as<"a colossal figure in the business
world" and declared that he had no
more right to be secretar of the
treasury than had ~. P. Morgan or
John D. Rockefeller or a member OF
the firm of Sears, Roebuck & Co..
if you please"
also read from James G..
Blaine's Twenty Years in Con-
gr s." q reference to the cir jum-
stances surrounding the nomination
of Mr.. Stewart. This told how Mr..
G. ut had asked congress first to
amend the law to except Mr.. Stewal
and then, after it was seen that con-
grtss was unwilling to make
Ne.. nges, the president withdrew the
re, uest and the newly-named cccre-
tary RESIGNED