Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-12-21
Shipstead of MINI. Sounds Warn
ing That Presidents Choice of
Butler Is Unpopular and That
Evidence Will Be Produced to
Show He IsNot Qualified To
Sit on Supreme Bench.
By Edward Percy Howard

Washington, D. C. Dec, 81 (Spe-
clal to Leader Enterprise)-Two days
OF intimate conversation with men who
shape the nations destinies in Wash
lngton discloses thot the anti Hard
ing forces are jubilant over the nomin-
alton of Pierce Butler, of St. Paul,
as Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court of the United States. They
regard the nomination as the supreme
blunder of the Harding administra-
ton.
The appointment of Attorney-Gen-
eral Daugherty aroused a good deol
of discomfort. Those who quietly
opposed Daugherty when he was
named, today made no ado about O.
penly charging that Harding is sad
died with an administration
in Daugherty, just as Taft with Bal
linger. The Il told you SOS" have
found certain pleasure in the warfare
on the Attorney General which has
ended IN his open arraignment, but
this is as nothing compared to their
attitude in Elation to the Supreme
The anti-Harding men have look
ed sometime for an avenue of open
and excusable attack on the activi-
ties ad operations of the President.
Now they feel they have found it in
what they are pleased to term "prin-
ciple and personality" rather than 60
vernmental party policy which, of
course, they feel impelled to safe
guard.
Buffers nomination caused a flu
rore in both House and Senate. At
the outset it aroused indigna-
ton, but as the anti-Harding men
Beg to exchange views, irritation
cha, ID to Citations, until the oppo-
sition crystalized into what the pro-
gressive bloc regards as an opportun-
ity.
Then, on top of this, came the re-
port, not contradicted, that the much
defeated Governor of the State of
New York., Nathan L. Miller, also is
being seriously considered for the ST.
preme Court. When the rocket was
fired every ani-Harding man felt like
a poker player who has just drawn
his fourth ace.
Shipstead Says Butler Not Qualified.
Openly the opposition to Butler is
being led by Senator-elect Shipstead,
of Minnesota, who frankly says his
constituents promise to produce am
pie evidence to show that Butler is
not qualified to sit on the Supreme
Court bench.
Appearing before Senators Nelson
Cummins and Walsh of Montana,
Shipstead presented letter in which
it was stated that ANY attempt at
this time to place on the Supreme
Court bench a man biased in favor
of corporate interests will arouse bit
ter resentment and criticism"
1t is openly charged that Butler
has been a corporation lawyer so
many years and has so frequently
fought to obtain special privileges
for large corprations that he would
be unable las member of the ST.
preme Court to act with an I'M
biased mind that he would in his de-
cisions necessarily and inevitably
Gbe influenced by his past interests
and associations"
Shipstead contends that the ap-
pointment of Judge Gary of the
United Statee Stsel Corporation
would not be more uniting than
the naming of Butler.
When asked for spec &c incidents
of corporate activity OF the part of
Butler, Shipstead referred to a re-
port prepared by Delos F. Wilcox,
a New York accountant, based on
an examination of the Twin City
Rapid Transit Company. This COM
pany, Shipstead said, with Butler
acting as its attorney, used every
artifce and. technicality to prevent
examination of its books by the
municipal authorities.
Report Reflects Against Butler
Asked as to the disclosures in the
Wilcox report, Shipstead said it show
ed yellow dog fund" totaling sew
eral hundred thousand dollars from
which money was paid to various
public officials and men of great po-
litical influence during the period
when the corporation was seeking
special favors from the Legislature or
the City Council"
This is not the sum total of the al
legedufitness of Butler for the Su-
preme Court bench. 1t is just an Incl
dent, Shipstead wants the senatorial
subcommittee to summon witnesses
to fortify his attack, and he wants
three university professors among