New Britain herald., 1922-11-04
POLITICS. THE PURIFIER


 POLITICS, THE PURIFIER
 It is wonderful how concerned poll ticans become, about election time' over the crimes that are committed against the dear people. It is inter .stinr to note the righteous indigna- ton that possesses politicians over some unethical act It is to be noted, incidentally, tnat such wrong act be- comes especially important at election time. Politics becomes purifier Of public morals.
 Addressing a, New Britain audience Thursday evening United States sena- tor Mclean, candidate for reelection, discoursed upon the propriety Of private secretary's act in disclosing the private correspondence ot1he man she worked for. The Herald has too much respect for Senator Mclean to believe that he wanted to discuss this matter. Someone must have had to work very hard to induce Senator Mclean to talk about it, for the Senator is not weak man. At any rate he was moved to defend the act of Thomas J. Spellacy's secretary in taking his letters. It is sienificant that he prefaced this de- fense by denouncing any such act if the correspondence involves no moral turpitude." But, he is quoted as saying ''If it does involve the public interests if it involves third party, then the party who works for that man and conceals the information is pertico- pant with him \ * +. If MT. Spellacy, when he was employed by the govern ment neglected his duties and follow ed another occupation and charged his expenses to the government, l think the people are entitled to know it.'
 splendid If anyone does anything wrong the public is entitled to know it. Especially If a. public servant does antrins wrong the public is entitled to know 1t. No person would dispute this statement; it fairly breathes an atmosphere of high -mindedness; 1t presents a fine picture of Justice, frowning down upon anything that is tainted with wrong
 But--is it possible to picture the dignified, sincere Senator Mclean go- ing to his private secretary and, his intelligent eyes uplifted. his hand on his heart, speaking to his private sec retary thus? "Oh thou honest private secretary, keep thine eyes upon me. If thou seeist me doing anything, writing anything, saying anything that indi- cates I am neglecting my duties, please, oh please wait until just be- fore election time, then steal my cor respondence from me and give it to my political enemies. Thou, oh honest private secretary art the great judge of my acts. You, above other people. would know if do wrong. Go through my correspondence carefully and take all that will tend to prove thine alli- gations.''
 Candidate Spellacy may or may not have done things that were improper. The Herald does not know; no one is in a position to know. Moreover The Herald is not competent to judge and would not be inclined to judge. There is a short, sharp word or two in a well known book about judging. But The Herald does believe that the pri- vate secretary of man who has been placed in public office of importance is not the person to judge of his acts to the point which would excuse theft of letters. Moreover The Herald be- lieves that Senator Mctean is the last man who would advocate placing pri- vate secretaries in the position of judge of the actions of those they served.