The Washington times., 1922-03-02
NEW PLOT,
DECLARES
At T0RNEY'
Frank Stuart Declares Accused
Jurist Schemes to Foil
/ Cleanup Drive.
BY HARVEY l.. COBB
Copyright. 1922, by The Washington
Times Company.)

copyright. 1922. by The Washington
Times Company
Little Reno's Divorce judge has
eapitulated.
A thorough grand jury probe
Of Alexandria's divorce scandal
will be made.
The announcement was made
last night by Judge Robinson
Moncure, in answer to the de-
mands of Alexandria's Ministerial
Association that he do so.
Intended to Call Jury.
It will be a thorough probe, Judge
Moncure writes the Ministerial AS
ISOLATION. because Moncure will per-
sonally conduct the probe. The
Little Reno's chief divorce magis-
trate has all along expected to call
q grand jury investigation himself.
He says so.
ut has always been and is now
my purpose to have a full and COM
plete grand jury investigation of the
divorce situation in Alexandria at
the earliest possible time" Mon
cures letter to the Ministerial AS
ISOLATION states.
Before Moncure will call the
grand jury investigation, the mem.
bers of which are to be picked by
him, the Alexandria Bar Associa-
ton will be given an opportunity
to finish its investigation.
This is due the Bar Association"
Moncure writes, but another and
more sinister motive for the two
weeks delay in calling the grand
Jury investigation, according to At
torney Frank Stuart. 10 back of the
delay.
I'm two weeks the legislature
will adjourn, in all probability"
Mr.. Stuart declared. 1T will not
meet again for two years. There.
fore II will be two years before
impeachment proceedings could he
brought against Moncure. BY that
time the scandal will partially be
forgotten"
Attacks Judges Authority.
Mr.. Stuart also attacks the au-
thority of Judge Moncure to sit in
Judgment of himself. His letter,
agreeing to call the grand jury in
vestigation. states plainly that 1T is
my purpose to have a full and
complete grand jury investigation
"A fair trial of Moncure, by
grand jury, which he might pick,
would be a farce, and the people
sf Alexandria will never stand for
t." Stuart declares.
"Moncure must step aside and
BET another Judge conduct 1t. There
can be but one excuse for delaying
the investigation another two weeks
1T Is patent-the legislature will
have adjourned by that time and
there would be no chance of i'm
peachment.
The announcement Of Little
Reno's divorce judges equalization
to public demand for grand jury
investigation came yesterday after
noon, following a vitriolic attack
on the divorce situation in Alexan-
dria by the Alexandria Gazette.
Prior to the seathing editorial
announcement Of the existing con-
ditions there, Little Reno's local
paper had refused to take part in
the fight. rather supporting Mon
cure.
ISOLATION and the Ministerial Asso-
cleaned up the disgraceful conditions
without waiting, for an outside agency
to make the expose.
A demand is made to know why
the divorce evil, which has existed
for years, has not been attacked be-
fore.
Pastors Criticised.
eft seems that the Ministerial AS
ISOLATION has made one or two at
tempts to remedy q situation they
believed full of evil. but they ap-
parently did not go about 1t with any
determination to end 1t. II they had
been more determined and resolute
we feel sure they could have COM
nanded access to any one OF num-
Der of grand juries, for the most part
composed of worthy and upright citi-
Gems of the vicinage. They might,
furthermore. have taken up the mat.
ter with members of their own con-
gregation and insisted on action on
their part. A persistent and earnest
attempt by the Ministerial Associa.
ton, II seems to us, would surely
have met with adequate results, and
without scandalizing a whole city,
the Gazette editorial stated yesterday
"Again, the members of the bar
OF Alexandria could have effected
q revolution In divorce methods.
had they likewise made an earnest
and sincere effort. Or. one of the
ClNlC DOtlCS COulu udNe IL
up, or q number of citizens, at any
time, and brought about an ameli-
Grafton of conditions. II not a com
plete reform. All these methods
would have been effective, and
would have spared Alexandria the
humiliation 1t has recently en-
dured.
But the truth Is that the public,
the bar and the ministry, have
alike been lax In the matter. This,
too. is not as strange as 1t might
seem. Vague rumors are never
sufficient upon which 20 base an
indictment. And, as we have re-
peatedly stated in these columns,
what Is everybody's business is no
body's business.
1.-THE point we wish to make here
II that any method which would
NaSe kept the publicity more or
less at home: which would have
Drecluded the washing Of our dirty
linen In the public view OF the ma
ton. would have been infinitely
preferable to the methods which
have been 30 disastrously resorted
to in the present instance. APP
parently the devil himself could
not have devised means more suit