The Indianapolis times., 1924-03-29
THE DAUGHERTY RESIGNATION

THE DAUGHEh14 REOlCNAIION
E7AUGHERTY has resigned Attorney General the
u quest or properly speaking, the demand of Pres
Coolidge.
The President gave as his could be guided
by Daugherty avc the of sending to the Wheeler
committee certain Department OF Justice documents because
Daugherty being investigation personal interest in
compatible with the public interest.
Daugherty had the committee records on
the ground against the public interest and he had
asked the President his refusal The President SAID
he could accept Daughertys advice being unbiased
being critical of the Presidents attitude toward
Daugherty and investigation point out
that the public would have been much better served
the President had done month what he now has done
This newspaper can say with the best of grace, because
March it published editorial of which the following are
excerpts:
''The private attorneys Rowland and Chamberlain who
employed by Attorney General Daughery have writ
ten letters special appointed by the
investigate the Department Of Justice ''
Among other things the letters say:
It is our pleasure to advise you your
investigation Department of Justice agency and
facility of that department is at your disposal"
"That sounds fair, but it again calls attention to most
serious situation
The bureau Of investigation under William J. Burns,
powerful that is part Of the Department
of Justice.
|'The conduct Of WILL of necessity be impor
part of the committees investigation
But the had the uimpeded Of the bureau
of investigation with all its detectives and resources, it could
the truth ay Of the of that fills the
air"
cit believe that with Burns Daughery
chief object investigation the bureau and will func
aid of the committee and without fear favor.
Operatives going reports adverse the
interests Of their chiefs This eudgng Mr. Burns
is merely suggesting the that ordinary good taste would
dictate
Public Lands Committee has been investigating
Fall company bureau of investigation of
Department Justice have been active in McLeans
behalf If the viii do that for Mclean what viii do
of the Attorney General himself and of Mr.
Burns directly at issue.
this Of powerful agencies of
be in camp of the accused that its
tOn be controlled by the accused officials and by the pe
attorneys.
The indianapolis Times has heretofore suggested that
President Coolidge exercise his free this agency
function freely.
ut respectfully that suggestion"
obvious that if the which President
taken had been taken month the investigation Of the De
partmen of Justice would progressed much rapidly
and along much satisfactory lines than 1t has progressed
There criticism of the character called
and the character Of the testimony against Daughery conduct
of the Department of Justice.
Indeed the dangerously making
investigation escapes
becoming farce But there has been the
Official records withheld the whole power
of the department has been used hamper and confuse the
Senate committee
Being barred from access to Government records and having
aid loyal bureau investigation working pub
lie interest the committee has had fish muddy
do nothing
Assuming that committee VIII have access to De
parment of Justice files and assuming these files have been left
intact long country the
truth faty of the charges against Daughery It be
hoped the viii take full recognition of this change
affairs
1t would be well if the committee would suspend its fishing
and suspend hearing until quietly examine and study
official records which, unless the President viii
their disposal
"
IT APPEARS there may be many slip between truth
and the Vanderlip.