Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-17
WEEK'SSPEECH
CALLS DOWN
MUCH WRATH
Secretary of War Is
Object of Strong
Criticism.
PERSONAL VIEWS
Hits Direct Primary
and Objects to
Prohibition.
Special TO Indiana Daily Times
and PhiIadeIphia Public Ledger.
BY ROBERT BARRY


WASHINGTON, June 17.-AlthCugh
harsher things about the primary system
in American politics had been uttered
previously by President Harding, the
remarks by Secretary Of War Weeks at
Cleveland have added another sharp con
trOversy to NashngtOn's already SIM
mering political season. The Cal met
officer brought down on his head a storm
Of criticism III Congress no less 4 per
sOnage than Majority Leader Monlell,
Republican candidate for senatorial hon
ors, Joining in the rebut5al.
The Weeks attack on the primary sys-
ten and his critical references to pro-
hibitiOn invited special attack in Con
gress. Progressive Republicans. happy
over the outcome Of party primaries in
Indiana, PENNSYLVANIA and Iowa, were
quick to resent reflection on the wisdom
of 1.-THE popular choice Of nominees for
Congress-.
Dry" members who were expecting to
point with pride" 10 the enforcement
record of the Harding Administration,
feared the effect in the Middle West Of
The War Secretary's slam on the Con
sttutional ameDdement
NOT DISCUSSED
WITH HARDING.
Mr.. Weeks called 4 the White House,
but announced he mad not discussed his
address with Mr.. Harding 1t was stat
ed emphaucally he had not outlined the
speech 10 the President before its de-
livery. and that it In no way could be
construed as q reelection Of White House
opinion. The Cabinet officer was seeking
primarily 20 offer effective response to
The address by Senator Robert NJ La
Toilette OF Wisconsin before the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor at Cincinnati.
Wednesday. The Senator had criticized
the Supreme Court Of the United States,
Chief Justice Taft. and enlarged soy
ereignty" was being "wrPsted from the
people"
1t was said, furthermore, Mr. Weeks
sought to make If clear he was speaking
as an individual tciJizen and not as a
Republican leader nor a Cabinet officer.
Some surprise arose over the congress
siOual agitation relative to his broadslde
against prohibition
Just now the Weeks statements as
sumed greater Importance due TO the row
over sale Of liquor on American ships
and after Commissioner Haynes had is
sued boastful statement on results Of
Republican enforcement
MONDELL TAKES
SHARP ISSUE.
Majority Leader Mondeu. taking sharp
issue with the Cabinet officers estimate
Of the present Republican Congress.
added:
We are not responsible for the sophO-
mOric uttergnce Of gentlemen, who in
there. may express peculiar views"
Senator George Norris. progressive
Republican OF Nebraska, gave expires
sion to an especially sharp attack on
Secretary Weeks. who. he said was OPP
posed TO direct primaries "on the theory
that the people are not sufficiently in
tClhgent TO select their officials" and de
s-ribed the secretary's argument as IA
yOring "a return to monarchy
If I believed our people were not in
telligent enough to nominate their can
didates for office, I, too, would advocate
the establishment OF a monarchy" the
Senator said. Those who are opposed
20 the primary system are ding what
the kaiser did when ne said he derived
his COVER from God One Of the st3te-
rrents of Secretary Weeks Is that the
primary has & tendency to abolish par
tIsauship in government. II that were
the only thing il ever did, it would jus
tifv its existence. If there is one single
evil in the Government today it is the
evil of arbitrary partisaEship which
forces Senators 10 come into the Senats
saying, What Is my voter Where does
the committee stand?'
"RUBBER STAMP
p IN USE AGAIN"
HE said the Democratic Congress
was a rubber stamp. but the rubber
stamp is over here now, It seems There
is a different boss. The people did not
get relief; they only changed bosses. Nc
wonder Congress is not in good standing
before the people. Mr.. Weeks was re-
tired from the Senate because the people
when they got a chance, took advantage
Of the occa sion to beat him. President
Harding. when lie was running fol
President, never got to first base wher-
ever there was a presidential primary
"NIr. Weeks says Congress now IS al
its lowest ebb." declared Representative
Gamer Of Texas, a Democratic leader
in the House, and of course it is al
its lowest ebb. The reason is the Re
publicans have the greatest majority
they ever had in this body. If it had
not been for the triumph of Senator
Walsh over Mr.. Weeks in Massachusetts