The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-08
W|LMETH ACTED IN M ADOO'S INTEREST.
 HARRELD CHARGES
Dismissed Treasury Officials Were in Habit of Reporting to Humility, Republican
 Senators Say
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau, The Age Herald,
 300 Davidson Building

300 Davidson Building Washington, April 7.-(SpeciaL)- A clique of subofficials in the va rious sections and bureaus of the de- partment of the treasury, protected against the hazards of changing ed ministrations, acts perpetually in the interest of William G. McAdo.
 The above is the contention of re- publican members of Congress. h that contention is alleged to repose the reason for the sudden and sen sational dismissal by the President of James l. Wilmeth, until recently the head of the bureau of printing and engraving.
 Senator Harreld of Oklahoma, re- publican, in defending the act of the President and preferring the above charge against Wiimeth and other subofficlals under the Secretary of the Treasury, declares: The men in question were in the habit of report ing more frequently to Joseph P Tumulty than to Secretary Mellon
 Humility, who served as secretary te former President Wilson, is al leged to be the local head of the 'McAdoo clique
 No Moral Terpitude.
 Certain republicans have whis- pered that the officials dismissed were involved in certain graft re- specting the printing in duplicate of Liberty and Victory bonds. Such sen si tional allegations crept into the columns of William K. Hearsts Washington Times. But Secretary Mellon immediately scotched that re- port. He announced officially that the "offense" brought against these that the president acted solely for the good of the service"
 That phrase covers all forms and shades of misconduct, and the state ment Is accurately applied, it is pointed out, even if the dismissed democrats were guilty of withhold ing from the Secretary of the Treas cry the highest form of disloyaity. But in that event. the situation, d mocrats deduce, becomes political.
 Mir. McAdoo. while Secretary of the Treasury, elicited a. support from lis underlings, especially those con cerned with organized labor, which became proverbisl in Washington. 1t was natural, democrats contend, that these men, following the departure Of McAdoo, should have remembered him with gratitude. But if the re- publicans, Senator Harreid and the remainder. have proof that Wilmeth or any other man dismissed or slated for dismissal conspired with Me- Adoo or his agent, to the disadvan- tage of the administration or the government, such proof has not as yet been cited.
 Becomes Nine-Days Wonder.
 Any way, the scandal" has become nine-days wonder Wilmeth and his associates have tried to inter view the President. But when they caied at the White House, the Pres ident was entertaining Che golf cab met on the municipal links.
 In Congress. the situation has been unduly agitated. Senator Caraway has called for the passage of res olution demanding of the President the recitation of particulars which induced him to act with such pre- oipitation. In the House, Represent atiye Moore of Virginia, has called for the appointment of committee oi five members to conduct an inquiry kcpuDHcan nldJoiitieS' Ho" oNSt' "'- no doubt refuse to act on either res Clution.
 In the minds of democrats. the sit i uation is serious because the Presi- ] dent is alleged to nave violated for rolftioal reasons the fundamental 1 laws under which the civil service s operated These laws require thai before man under civil service is I dismissed, he must be served WILT charges brought against him.