The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-15
THE MELLON EPISODE

Republican attempts to minimize the i'm
portance of revelations of improper conduct
on the part of high government officials can
not succeed unless the people of this country
are willing to admit that malfeasence and
misfessance in office are negligible offenses.
To admit that would be to open the gate to
official fraud and corruption on every hand.
The people will not admit it. The people
demand that the inquiries proceed, not with
animus towards any man or any party, but
with the sole purpose of discovering the
facts Those officials who have a clean
record have nothing to fear; those officials
whose records are not clean deserve the ex-
posture which approaches them. There is no
official who is so high that an inquiry into
his record can be blocked because of defer
ence to his position.
There is already evidence that the effect
of President Coolidge's effort to prevent
Mellon inquiry will be just the opposite of
the result desired. Instead of allaying the
suspicion and the purpose to investigate.
the message has intensified the ISSUE 1t
is right that this should be so. Unfortu-
nately, Mr.. Coolidge's words made it ap-
pear, not that there were no grounds for
investigation, but that Mr.. Mellon was above
senatorial investigation. Instead of bring
ing Mr.. Mellon from under a cloud, the
message has thrust him into a cloud that
in the view of many, had not previously en-
veloped him. There is only one way to dis
pei that cloud, and that is by means of the
searchlight of publicity turned upon the
treasury record. 1t is highly unfortunate
for Mr.. Mellon that his personal resentment,
which mysteriously communicated itself to
the president, should have prompted such an
attitude as seriously detracts from that emf
nent esteem in which popular opinion has
held him because Of his much-heralded plan
for tax reduction. Far better would it have
been for him to invite thorough and i'm
partial inquiry in order that all lingering
doubt as to the integrity of his administra-
ton might have been dispelled.
If the presidents intercession was, as many
have limited, based on political grounds, it
was political blunder. If it was purely
an official whom he believes worthy of his
trust and confidence, it was ill-advised. In
either case it is resulting in reaction
against the Republican chances and against
Mr.. Melons record. If the inquiries into
the records of Fall, DENLY and Daugherty,
and into the conduct of the Veterans Bureau
had been fiascos and without result, then
the presidents, interposition to protect the
treasury from similar inquiry would have
been. fully justified. But with disclosures
of incontestihle authenticity resulting from
each one of these cases and forming definite
and provable bases for court action, the ex-
ecutive attitude is amazing and not easily
to be interpreted as a measure counseled by
the public welfare
Fortunately, it appears that the intrepid
senators who have put their hands to this
unpleasant task are no whit dismayed by
the expression of executive displeasure,. nor
are they to be deferred from carrying out
their purpose If there has been any repre-
hensible conduct in the treasury administra-
ton, it is of public necessity that such con-
duct be revealed. If the inquiry shows a
record of the highest integrity, then the
reaction upon the public mind will be most
pleasing and wholesome. 1t is hoped that
here is one case in which no corrupt dis
closures will occur; but it is too late now
to turn aside from it, nor is it wise or right
to turn aside from it.