Atlanta tri-weekly journal., 1924-02-28
ATTORNEY GENERAL
MAY. SET The DATE
AFTER SENATE QUIZ
Anxious for Vindication at
Inquiry Before Actually Re-
tiring, According to His
Friends

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.--(By the
Associated Press. Am offer by At
torney General Daugherty to retire
| to private life when the senate com
| pletes it's investigation of his official
acts is believed in some administra-
| ton circles to be imminent.
Under the plan he would step out
of the cabinet regardless Of the out
come of the senate inquiry, and
would announce that intention to
| the country in advance.
/ A statement from him is expect
ed before the day is over. There is
belief in some quarters that it
may end the bitter controversy of
which he has become the center.
There still are some of President
Coolidges advisers, however, who
believe that a promise to resign at
future date will not satisfy the
attorney generals critics in the
senate.
Coolidge View i'm Doubt
Whether it would be entirely sat
isfactory to Mr.. Coolidge himself re-
mains undisclosed. He conferred for
an hour again today with the at
torney general but made no state
ment.
From the start the attorney gen.
eral has insisted he would not re-
tire from office under fire, and the
plan to announce his willingness to
resign on termination of the senate
investigation was suggested in the
hope that this would satisfy his own
desires in that regard and at the
same time meet the persistent de-
mands of Republican senate lead.
ers that he retire.
The president has considered
painstakingly how such a com.
promise might be worked out. He
has conferred with all parties to
the controversy, and has sought the
advice of his closest personal friends
in an effort to compose one of the
most difficult situations with which
ne has had to deal since lie entered
the White House.
Party Leaders Differ
The advice of the Republican sem
ate leaders was that attorney gen,
eral resign Immediately. In his re.
fusal to do SO, Mr. Daugherty had
the public support of Chairman
Adams of the Republican national
committee and a few Republican
senator's The whole maze of con-
flicting advice was brought under
scrutiny late last night at confer
ence between the president, Secre-
tary Slemp, Frank Stearns, long
time friend, and William NJ. Butler,
manager of the Coolidge presidential
campaign.
The results of that conference
were laid before Mr. Daugherty this
morning by Mr.. Coolidge in a frank
talk of more than an hour at the
White House. Afterward the IT
torney general said his statement
would berissued before the day was
over.
Mr.. Daugherty arrived at the ex-
ecutive offices Immediately after
breakfast He would not discuss
what trend his discussions with the
president were taking.
Last night he had spent two
hours with Mr.. Coolidge and afue"
he left the whole subject was re-
viewed at a conference between the
president, Secretary Slemp, Frank
w. Stearns, close friend, and VIII
liam NJ. Butler, manager Of the
Coolidge presidential campaign.
1t was assumed that the presi
dent informed the attorney general
at their conference this morning OF
the opinions expressed by those who
took part in the round table discus
sion of last night
Some of those in the presidents
confidence appeared certain there
would be a concrete development,
perhaps determining definitely
whether Mr.. Daugherty is to resign,
either today or tomorrow.