The Washington times., 1924-03-28

second, from those equally pow.
erful individuals and organiza.
tons guilty of graft upon the
Government during the world
war while the youth Of our land
was making the supreme sacri.
flee for the nation.
II have to the best Of my
ability discharged my sworn duty
to prosecute all such individuals
and organizations, but the task
has bee IN beset with peculiar DIFF.
ficulties by reason of the fact
that the official record in most
Of these cases was made up by
men supposedly representing the
Government in these transactions
who were either knowingly or
stupidity. parties to the crime.
AssaiIs His AccuserS.
This partnership Of the rioter
and the war profiteer has cease.
lessly sought to break down the
faith Of the American people in
me and the Department Of Jus.
tlce.
"In the high court Of impeach-
ment their attempt to Gasten guilt
upon me collapsed in disgrace to
it's originators, and they did not
dare to appeal again to the con-
stitutional court.
'In the low courts Of scandal,
gossip, rumor and innuendo, to
which appeal IL now made, IL will
have no better success with the
people Of this country who read
and think and believe in justice
and the square deal, but coupled
with threats of similar treatment
Of other public men, 1t has i'm
pressed politicians who think
everything Of personal and party
expediency, and nothing of the
principle inv olved, with the neces.
sity Of offering me as sacrifice
to propitiate the vengeful inter-
ests which seek my destruction.
Il cannot escape the conviction.
Mr.. President, that your request
for my resignation Is also most
untimely. 1t comes at time
when the truth is vanishing
falsehood from the public mind,
even though I have not as yet
had an opportunity to place upon
the witness stand before the Sem
ate committee a single witness in
my defense, or in explanation or
rebuttal Of the whispered and Cos
sipy charges against me.
mo better evidence Of the fail.
ure to substantiate charges Of
wrongful action on my part could
be offered than the character Of
the proceedings by the Senate
committee engaged in conducting
the present inquiry. II my &C
cusers had believed me guilty.
they would have been scrupulously
careful to select as members Of
the tribunal, men Of judicial char
acter with open minds. in order
that an unprejudiced verdict
might be rendered. The choice as
majority members of this COM
mittee Of men. some Of whom
who have openly. bitterly, and
falsely assailed me under Sena-
torial immunity, and who have
also assailed my administration
OF the Department Of Justice; the
designation Of a member Of this
court as prosecutor who Is the
responsible author of the reso-
luton against me: the refusal to
apply to the proceedings any rule
OF evidence to grant me the GUS
tomary immediate right Of cross
examination and early opportunity
OF rebuttal; and. above all, the
character Of the witnesses, in.
Guiding blackmailers, bootleggers,
confessed corruptionists, and dis.
charged and discredited Govern
ment employees, not one of whom
has given testimony that would be
admitted as evidence in the most
loosely conducted court Of the land:
all this proves to fair.minded men
that in the absence of competent
and creditable testimony. the sle-
ments In control Of this committee
seek to convict by immaterial and
malicious gossip retailed by If.
responsible witnesses. In such a
tribunal, by such methods, and
out Of the mouths Of such wit.
nesses, an honest man could be
convicted Of any crime.
DeCries Politics Seen.
II am aware. Mr.. President.
that the suggestion has been
MADE to you that my retirement
from the cabinet would serve the
ends OF party expediency. Had
l believed this, l would have re.
tired when this contention was
first raised.
Twice since you become Presi.
dent, and when could, have done
so without criticism, have of.
fered to retire from your Cabinet.
and you have in each instance re-.
queSted me to remain, because
as you were kind enough to saw.
OF your satisfaction with the
splendid accomplishments of the
department of Justice under INV
administration.
AFTER this recent attack and
while under fire, stood INV
ground because believed that
cowardice and surrender Of prin.
ciple are never expedient and
that every sacrifice Of Justice To
clamor Is followed by demand for
still greater sacrifices.
Calls It Party Attack.
From the beginning this at.
tack upon me has in fact been an
attack upon the administrator
and the Republican party. which
my assailants are seeking to dis.
credit for partisan purposes.
Since the assault upon me began.
the purpose to attack every ad.
rninistration official of prominence.
including the President himself.
has been publicly revealed.
"The American people confront
crisis in national affairs equal
In gravity to any we have faced
in all our history. Is this to re-
main a government of law and
order, Of constitutional procedure,
with its guarantees Of individual
rightsA and its safeguards for
equal justice to the highest and
the humblest, or is It to become
a government by Islander, by ter.