The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-16

the greatest in the country. And he has come to be satisfied with the gift he has. The unimportance of his stsNe, Idaho, has freed him from any illusions about himself with respect to the presidency. The habit of carrying a comb in his vest pocket marks him as free from the social ambition which number more vic tins in the Senate than the ambi- ton for the presidency. He Is al- most disem bodied spirit politically, of the revolution he discerns he will be a spectator.
 Hiram Johnson Is 8 declining fig ure. I see no reason to modify the conclusion which was reached about him in the Mirrors of Washington. that he thought more of men than of principle and especially of one man, Johnson. The test of his sim cerity came when the vote was reached on the unseating of Sem ator Newberry for spending too much money in the Michigan primarics.
 Mir. JOhnson's Decline
 Johnson's great Issue year before had been sanctlty of popular nomina- tions. Yet when he had an oppor- tunity to speak and act against a brazen even though foolish attempt to buy a nomination, he was rush. ing wildly across the continent arriving after the vote had been taken.
 On reaching Washington, hs called his newspaper friends before him to explain the difficulties and delays that had made him late. When he had finished 6 nasal voice from the press remarked, Senator, there will be great public sympathy with you as a victim of the railroads. But the people will only know how great their loss has been if yo0 will tell them now how you would have voted if you had been here Johnson adjourned the meeting hastily without a reply.
 Tho absence from the roll call and the theatrical attempt to make it appear accidental weee typical John son had won the Michigan primaries in the national campaign of 1920. The delegates were in control of Newberrys political friends. They remained firm for JohF5on through out tho balloting. Johnson avoided voting against their leader although his principles required that he should lead the fight for his unseating.
 No Mans Second
 Johnson has always over empha- sized Johnson At the progressive convention in 1912 when Roosevelt was nominated for the presidency and Johnson for the vice presidency. it was proposed. since both wore in attendance, to bring both on the stage and introduce them to the delegates. The natural order was Roosevelt first. since he was the nominee for President and since he was, moreover, one of the most dis tinguished figures in the world and Johnson, hnce he had second place, second. But Johnson would go sec ond to no man. Either he must show himself on the stage first or not at all. Finally ft was compromised by moment holding hands upon the platform.
 Possessed of a Devil
 Senator Reed of Missouri Is pos- sessed of devil. He Is satirist turned politician. He has the saeva indignstio of Swift. American life with its stupidity. its facile opti- mism, its gullibility. It's easy oom- promises. it's hypocrisy. fills him with rage. His face Is shot red with passion. His voice Is angry. He Is a defeated idealist left in this bar ren generation without an ideal. He might have been led away by the war as so many were, as Wilson was into the belief that out Of it's suf ferings would come a purified and elevated humanity. But Reed Is hard to lead away. Where other men see beauty and hope he searches furi- ously for sham. Where other men 0haNrf1t1lU ho1f Ia haffar than no bread he puts the half loaf on the scales and proves that it Is short weight.
 Out for Convictions An old prosecuting attorney, he be- lieves that guilt,sis everywhere. He is always out for conviction. If the evidence is insufficient he uses all the arts, disingenuous presentations, appeals to prejudice not because he is indifferent to justice but because the accused ought to be hanged any way, and he is not going to let lack of evidence stand in the way of that salutary consummation.
 He conducts a lifelong passionate fight against the American practice of getting away with it." Shall Hoover get away with it as great and pure han. the benefactor of the dCO. 4Npb " illio Jiiu IhCSO Has in his body Here Is an American idol. tear 1t down, exhibit it's clay feet! Shall Wilson "get away with it. with his League of Nations and his sublimited world set free from all the baser passions of the past ? Not while any acid remains on Jim Reeds tonguel
 Reed Is sincere. He hates sham. He nevertheless himself uses sham to fight sham. He Is the nearest thing to a great satirist this country has developed. And the amazing con sideration Is that In a nation which dislikes satire a satirist should be elected by the suffrage of his fell lows.
 Jim Reed Is then that part of our selves which tells us that self-gov- ernment is good deal of sham, in the hands of amusing charlatans. We tolerate him in perhaps the only place where we would tolerate a satirist, in the Senate. And in the Senate they fear him.
 He was attacking the four power pact. People say" he declared, that this ends the Anglo-Japanese alliance. I do not find it in the pact I do not find it nominated in the bond" he shouted. And the friends of the pact sat silent afraid of Reed l power as a debater, until Senator Lenroot having studied the document ,t~e tv,