The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-24
REPUBLICANS FEAR
 NEWBERRYISM CRY
Hughes Letter Is Regarded as Attempt to Alleviate En-
 barraSSing Situation
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

Washington, August 23.-(Special) ) Anything but Newberryism"
 The republican national committee, it is plainly indicated to democratic political leaders in Washington, fears the tariff, fears the record which It's | Congress has made, fears the inac- | tivity of the Attorney General re- speoting war fund prosecutions.
 But not to the extent that it fears to so before the people with the seating of the junior senator from Michigan as the issuel
 This is the explanation offered by democrats for the remarkable act eff ! the Secretary of State, Charles E. Hughes, in answering an inspired letter from New Jersey with the declaration that the conviction of Newberry by a United States jury In Michigan was atrocious and that the man convicted was most grossly" imposed upon.
 The jury which convicted Newberrv and stenced him to the peniten- tiary was composed of eleven repub- l lieans and one democrat. He was 1 charged with having conspired to buy a seat in the Senate. It was ad mitted that his friends and relatives spent practically S200,000 in win ming the seat for him.
 His defense was that he knew nothing of what was going on in Michigan. The jury didn't believe him, Many members of the Senate did not believe the plea when it was re- l peated. Senator Williams of Missis sippi, declared on the floor that 1 Newberry knew of what was happen | Ing or Newberry was a ''blithering 1 idiot"
 The republicans seated Newberry. Instantly, the case became national scandal. It was necessary that it become an issue in the campaign.
 Willis Amendment Senator Willis of Ohio, reactionary, 1 but in the Newberry case strangely 1 independent, contributed the card 1 which gives today his party it's great est embarrassment.
 He refused to vote to seat New berry unless his associates would amend the perfunctory resolution bv 1 adding sections declaring it to be the sense of the Senate that such enor- nous expenditures of money in elec- tions was offensive to the honor of the Senate and a danger to the life of | the nation.
 No outstanding and responsible re- publican has been able to explain how in view of the adopted Willis amend ment, the republicans, in honor. were able to seat Newberry. And thus the issue haunts and plaques the repub- lican senators who seated Newberry and who are now asking their con stituents to give them a new lease on official life.
 The desperate nature of the situ- | ation was put up to Secretary Hughes. It Is regarded as improbable that the secretary could have de- scended from the dignity of his of flee to mingle In the Newberry scan dal otherwise.
 When the secretary replied to the Inspired" letter from New Jersey with an excoriation of the jury which convicted Newberry and an impas- stoned defense of the character of the senator from Michigan, the re- publican national committee, imme1i- ately possessed of the answer, gave if wide publicity.
 Democrats are interested in the fact that the inspired" letter came from New Jersey. Senator Freling- huysen, of that state. is candidate for reelection. He is the particular friend of the President. He is re-