The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-05-18
(DoUGDERTY UNDER FIRE
Washington Letter Well Worth
Reading
By CHARLES M. KELLEY


Washington, d. C. May 4tk, 1922
One of the nastiest messes uncovered
at Washington for some time has to
do with the Department of Justice.
From it energies the ghost of war
grating, which, like the ghost at the
banquet, refuses to stay put"
The circumstances, as they have de-
veloped, are about as follows:
Certain members of Congress, not
ably Representative Woodruff of
Michigan, and Representative johnson
of South Dakota, have not been sat
isfied with the way cases against men
and corporations who are charged
with having looted the government
are being handled by the Department
of Justice. Conducting an investiga-
tion in their own behalf, they have
unearthed, as they claim, very ser
ious and quite discreditable state of
Npathy on the part of federal prose-
cutting officers toward persons of
prominence who, if they were given
their deserts, according to Woodruff
and johnson, would now be serving
long terms in penitentiaries.
Recently Woodruff and johnson laid
before Congress what they said was a
rlear-cut case of neglect of the pub
&c interest. They made allegations
affecting the department of Attorney
eneral Daugherty that made the
members gasp with amazement.
These were to the effect that big
rrooks were getting immunity and
hat conspiracy was afoot to keep
the public from getting the facts.
WATTS is FIRED
Attorney General Daugherty's only
response to this indictment was to
summarily fire an agent of his de-
partment, Maj. W. o. Watts, who is
said to have supplied information to
Representatives Woodruff and John.
son upon which they made their pre-.
sentation to Congress. tH.
Attorney General Daugherty justi-
fed this action with the statement
that it was "for the good of the SER
vice" and declared that Watts had
been guilty of 'disloyalty."
Representative johnson took occa-
sion to bring this incident to the at
tention of Congress. He said that
Watts had served his country in three
vars, and that some time ago, while
employed with the Department of
Justice, "he was offered commission
IS major in the army if he would let
up with certain prosecutions"
1t seems that Watts is not the let
up kind. His reply to Attorney Cen
eral Daugherty is about as pointed a
rebuke as a former subordinate ever
administered to a superior:
'If you are at all informed on the
departmental affairs of your high Of
fee" said Watts to Daugherty, "you
must be aware of the outstanding
facts that l have devoted more than
two years to loyal and faithful efforts
20 protect the interests of the gov
eminent, when combination of GER
ain government officials and other
@ommon crooks have been assauiting
and raiding the public treasury on
scale SO gigantic as to be almost un-
believable"
Watts said that he was required by
cath to protect the public interest
when it was assailed by crooks of big
and little degree, and that he offered
no apologies for having lived up to
lis obligation.
'The record is clear" he added,
"ond will show that organized inter-
ests are looting the government, and
no man can charge me with a breach
of trust so far as the interests of the
people are concerned"
WHY WATTS WAS REMOVED
The record seems to be perfectly
clear that Watts was not discharged
for "disloyalty to the government"
but for "disloyalty to the service"
He had talked to members of Con-
gress and given them information
that placed the Department of JUS
tice in an embarrassing situation. He
ed revealed some facts of the stu
pendous grating that was rife dur
ing and since tie wa-. and his prompt
removal probably will be a warning
TO other subordinates that it is the
wise course to keep still tongue on
his taboo subject.
Watts offending was in giving Con-
~~'ssmen Woodruff and johnson evil
dence gathered by him tending to
prove:
1. That hundve7s of cont ac tors had
Nrer"harged TIE government. in many
rstances getting away with millions
of dollars.
That army officers had assisted
m the looting process, and that many
whose guilt could not be questioned
had been retained in the service and
N pronCfaI