The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-29
IMPuGNING TESS SINCERITY


To paraphrase the words of the light
opera, senator's lot is not happy one.
This is particularly true if he happens
to be a Republican senator. For he is
caught between the upper and the neither
milestone, no matter which side he takes
on certain leading questions. For ex-
ample, if he votes against certain meas
ures or to sustain a presidential veto,
tele as having failed in his public duty.
If he votes for certain measures or to
override presidential veto, he finds
himself in hot water with political and
president. 1t seems as if there is al
most no way in which Republican SEN
ator can do his duty to TIE people and
at the same time keep in Harmonious re-
lations with, his party. I'M other words,
it appears that to back the president is
to fail the people.
There is the case of Senator Simeon
D. Fess of Ohio, regular Republican
if ever there. was one, and a party man
through and through. Yet Mr.. Tess is
also a man with some concern for his
duty to the people who elected him to
office. Not long ago Mr.. Fess delivered
an able eulogy on President Coolidge,
of which the Hartman National Bank
of New York reprinted twenty-five hun
dred copies for distribution where they
were expected to do the most good. But
only shortly after that Mr.. Tess, in line
with what he regarded as his public duty,
voted to override the presidential veto
of the bonus measure. What did the
Hartman bank do but send out addi-
tional printed copies of the Fess eulogy
to its clients and to all members of con-
gress with biting words written across
the face? These words were "This ar
ticle was sent to you in our folder of
April 81. Senator Tess of Ohio is a
wonderful orator, but is he a sincere
man? He has now recorded his vote
overriding the presidents veto on the
bonus bill. We apologize for having
sent to you heretofore the original of
this article. We were fooled by this
speech of Mr.. Fess. We thought him
to be sincere man and took his words
at face value."
If there were needed evidence of
Mr.. Fess' sincerity it might be found in
the fact that, although admiring and
lauding the president, he yet found it
possible to disagree with him on specific
questions, and had the courage to do so.
If there were needed any proof that the
Wall Street sinterests are backing the
president and seeking to intimidate all
who differ with him, it should be partly
established by the remarkable document
issued by this powerful New York bank.
It begins to look as though a senator
cannot be regular Republican and at
the same time reasonably free moral
or intellectual agent. The people of the
country should be warned by the cpl
sode; for there is evident danger amount
ing almost to certainty that a return of
the Republican party to power would
mean a re-delivery of the government to
the same elements of rapacity that have
sought by means of the tariff, oil con-
cessions and, other irregular devices to
mulct the people out of their earnings
and savings. For there is no denial that
the tariff, high rates based on high val
uations, and other impositions reach
right down into the pocket of Everyman
and take thence whatsoever they will,
without let or hindrance from the party
in. power. Beside such burdens the
weight of the bonus is unfelt.
Mr.. Fess has been warned. Mr.. Lodge,
who also sinned against the party by
voting to override a veto, has been
warned. BY these warnings the others
who have likewise erred are also
warned. Senators on the Republican
side must stay put, or else subject them
selves to much domestic unpleasantness.
The nation is curious to see how they
will stand this latest test.