The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-03-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Political Muck-rakers Are Still
Busy With Oil Investigation

ney General has refused to resign and
President Coolidge has refused to
ask his resignation, and this despite
the fact that leading Republican SEN
ators, with what Theodore Roosevelt
used to call ''vaseline vertebrae," have
urged the President to throw Daugh-
erty overheard as a matter of politi-
cal expediency. Mr.. Coolidge, how
ever, was too just to condemn his Cor
Mr.. Harding's) Attorney General
without trial. Perhaps, too, he was
sagacious enough to foresee what
Senator Hefiin, of Alabama, now an
nounces to be the fixed program of the
Democratic Senators, viz: to "'force
every Republican cabinet member out
of office" and to start in on Weeks
and Mellon as soon as Daugherty is
out of the way" 1t is, too, entirely
possible that Mr.. Coolidge is wise
enough to appreciate the American
peoples love of fair play, of "the
square deal" and to know that they
have little respect for a coward OF one
who, for his own benefit or that of the
party, would condemn any man I'M
heard.
Meanwhile, the political muck-rak
ers are having picnic with the oil
investigation, although just how long
they can continue without the people
coming to realize what they are I'D
to is a decided question. In fact, a
good many people are already begin
nlng to catch on to the rotten politics
beng played. To hinder and DELAY the
development of the facts while the
people, through the press, are fed
with every sort of suggestion of scan
dial, IS the game of the Democrats on
the committee and one that Senator
Walsh of Montana has played thus
far with an expert hand. But some
people are beginning to realize how
the thing is being delayed and drag
| get out. With a handful of private
kilograms all sorts of mysterious
chicannery is being suggested. The
editor OF a great paper gets tele-
gram from an employee suggesting
that by leasing a private wire to his
winter residence he can have "close
access" to the White House, and the
Democrats howl with glee. There is
no suggestion that it is merely the
term that was unfortunate, and that
most editors of great papers want to
keep in close touch with the White
House which is, after all, the center
OF national news, whether they are in
their offices or at winter or summer
resorts, and that this is particularly
essential for the editor of Washing
ton newspaper.
One private. telegram speaks of a
private detective who has been recon-
mended by Secret Service man at
the White House and there are all
sorts of insinuations. Had the COM
mittee called the sender or the re-
cipient of the wire it would have
learned that this man had been recon-
mended to guard the children of the
recipient against possible accident or
kidnapping and that the wire had
nothing whatever to do with politics
but that would have been contrary
to the method of the committee, which
are designed to foster scandal-mon-
gerlng-not to discover facts.
A pretty sick bunch of Democrats
are those who have been backing VIM.
q. McAdoo for president. Another
trlfling little fee of S15O,O0O paid to
Mr. McAdoo to go back to the Treas
ury, OF which he had been head. to
get mammoth reduction in taxes for
the Republic Iron & Steel Co., has
just come to light. Senator Carawav
OF Arkansas was asked, after it was
disclosed that McAdoo had received
$4,000 from the Doheny company.
II ne would say anything for publica-
ton. "No," replied the Senator. 81
"iH GA OiiiCi "OOu liIdll, DIS everybody
knows. Go ask Pat Harrison and Tom
Walsh for interviews. They are
strong McAdoo men. But, young
man, ask them quick or you'll be as
badly left as the first reporter men
toned in the Bible. You remember
that after the Savior had been ar
raigned before Pilates Court re-
porter of that day delayed little
time before he asked Peter Just who
the Savior was, and that Peter re-
piled with an oath, 4 know not the
man. You better hurry"
Nicholas Longworth, recently asked
what was going to become of the Mel
lon tax reduction PLAN replied in
verse. II am reminded" he said, "of
a little rhyme; Mary had a little
lamb, It's fleece was white as snow.
She took it with her to Pittsburg and
look at the id thing now Pos
sibly the Senator will make over the
revenue bill passed by the House into
something the President will feel he