The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-02-05
WHY NOT LOUIS D.. BRANDEISq

70 1ENATOR DILLS suggestion that furlough be arranged so
= Justice Brandeis can take charge of the naval oil mess and
all its qualifications, comes as a ray of light in the darkness.
Speaking in the United States Senate, Mr.. Dill said:
us Sitting in this chamber we ,a are Ii likely kelly, o not to realize real t ts gravity tgs with
crisis, and n o political party or its future can be considered in this stu
these reserves which have been stolen and place the guilty men in the pent
n,ov1 The nts testimony Inn fa this Pss %9EntnT Wilson'S 1noUs t5s Mr 5 Dohs Of b ia cabinet aSa p 6 his sn,
try is beginning to wonder whether anybody an be- found who is clean and
In the face If this situation I want to make N this floor a suggestion
chosen and who, if he would accept the appointment, would have the cor
adence Of tbe entEa neon1e Tba man is a nan who sits on h supreme
bench. Mr.. Justice Brandels. who successfully prosecuted the Baringer case
anu If TI it be be possible possible I think he would take a Through from the Supreme
point Spms Rm th fST nns sa tbe omd ! Ta of t THIS Government sogsTnnUn N from nFet te pr psSdunt
down. select men who have the confidence If he country to prosecute this
the very existence of this Government
The American people are 3 Tos@u over hi :, thing hdSaoaa They ~ os be that
public officials are FOL sale IN Wasmngt0n; ana 1t p be f%a III OF US rom rom
of such national reputation, of such unsuIied character, of such great
could bo done to return these oil reserves to the Government and to put
'~ I bell believe We tina III in this emergency the President should call upon Mr.:
believe that in a patriotic spirit he could be induced to accept the position.
most fearless. and the most aggressive counsel that the country has ever
Senator Dill is right. If the politicians and leaders of either
party think they can play politics with this thing they are mis-
taken. It is too big and the public feels too deeply.
President Coolidge received his greatest hurt, thus far
through the Gregory fasco. President Coolidge's greatest danger
is in the group of Old Guard advisers who surround him
He wanted two prosecutors-one Republican and one Demo
cratic. The Republican was chosen from Chicago ~stOckyards en-
vironment and the Democrat chosen as on what the Old Guard
thought was a shrewd political play.
Were affiliations or fitness considered? No. The counsel of
Lodge and Curtis and Lenroot and SmOot and the rest was taken
and the counsel of the party chairman. The same men who for
years have kept the lid on this oil scandal until, when it did ex-
plode, it shook the country from end to end.
At least two presidential aspirants-Coolidge and McAdoo-
are gravely endangered. Coolidge, if he can break away from the
counsels of the stupid, may yet save himself. McAdoo may salts
factoily explain any employment he has had with the Doheny
outfit.
But this thing is bigger than candidates; bigger than Presi-
dents; bigger than political parties.
Unless the thing is met squarely the public temper will con-
tinue to grow hotter. 1t is hot enough now.
Why not intrust Louis D. Brandeis with the matter9 Give
him free hand and funds and let him &c to it without regard to
persons rich or poor or political parties in or out.