The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-23
ADAMS DEFENDS
 H. M. DAUCHERTY
(csntInued From Pass ons)


 activities under the Wilson administra- tion, as counter-irritant to the Tea pot Dome affair.
 Daugherty's bold stroke in defying his enemies through the letter to Sena- tor Pepper has strengthened him con- siderably. One senator, who is friendly to him, while unwilling to take the floor in defense of the Attorney General at this time, has given to the press what he regards as a reliable account of Daugherty's alleged stock transac- tions. -,sics.
 Tells Of Stock Deals
 Daugherty, as private citizen of some means, was finally interested in stocks and bonds for many years. His holdings in Sinclair stock, this senator says, consisted of purchase of POO shares of Sinclair consolidated in 1920 before he became Attorney General on which he lost $4S0. The stock was purchased for Mrs. Daugherty. When the investment proved to be unsuccess- full, she called on her husband to make it good.
 This, so it is said, is Daughertys sole connection with Sinclair oil stock Other supposed oil investments which have been mentioned here concern a differ ent concern with which Sinclair has no connection,
 "Hysterfa Not Proof"
 But it is equally insistent that guilt must be proved or shown by evidence that admits of no doubt. Hysteria is nit proof. Libel is not truth. Idle gossip and hearsay scandal are not evil dence.
 'To punish innocent men upon such irresponsible and disreputable grounds tften results in letting those who are really guilty escape. It is not without the range of possibilities that those who are now. making wild charges against ublic officials seek to sacrifice mno- cent men in order that guilt, Which should be ferretted out and properly I laced, may escape detection.
 This is not the time to yield to the threats of those, who are conducting this campaign of political terrorism or to the demands of those who are fright ened by such methods. The record shows that most of the charges, now being rlade, are merely revamped from those made some time ago by a member of the House of Representatives in a de- nland for Attorney General Daugherty's S impeachment.
 Says Former Charges Investigated
 These charges were thoroughly in- vestigated by House committee, which, by vote of 20 to 1, denounced them as untrue and unwarranted. This de- cision of the committee, the House of Representatives concurred in by an overwhelming vote on npnpartisan lines. The new charges now being made are nothing but cheap gossip, part of which has already been utterly discredited.
 Why should Attorney General Daugherty resign without a hearing That is not the American way of do- ing things. It is; time for officials of integrity to face their detractors and place the brand of infamy upon those who make their public office the mouth piece of foul calumny.
 Appeals To Republicans
 America, her institutions and her form of government are not now and ever will be endangered by enemies from without. Her menace is from those who, for the purpose of elevating them selves into the limelight of questionable notoriety, or of serving the baser pur- poses of partisanship, seek to destroy the faith of the American people in their public officials and institutions.
 "The time has come for republican leadership to stop action on the defen- sive and to begin aggressive warfare on political traducers who sat silent while the greatest orgy of waste, incompetence and corruption that the world has ever witnessed, took place in Washington under the democratic administration. ,