The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-13
A FAIR INVESTIGATOR

A FAIR INVESTIGATOR
 To follow the outstandingly fine and non-partisan course of Senator Walsh during his fearless and determined devel- opment of the facts in the Teapot Dome investigation serves to reaffirm popular belief that the time and the occasion al- ways find the man. An attitude free from non-partisan condemnation; sole objective to punish anyone guilty of wrong doing, and determination to en- tighten the American people as to the delinquency of public officials has been his course. It was fitting, therefore, that from Senator Walsh himself should come repudiation of the attempt of the Re- publican leaders to make of this na- tional scandal partisan opportunity. Senator Walsh did not hesitate to bring into his remarks before the senate, with respect to this attempt of the Republican leaders, measure of condemnation for Senator Reed of Missouri, who appears to have been willing even to besmirch his own party, either to gratify personal grudge, or to satisfy personal ambition. And in committee, Senator Lenroot, Re- publican chairman of the senate conmit- tee of inquiry, took occasion to say that the inquiry was drawn into extraneous fields through the demand of this same Senator Reed, the validity of whose title as Democrat is sufficiently exposed by the fact that President Wilson practically of unworthy public record, and one who was elected not by the Democrats but by the Republican votes of Missouri. Senator Reeds right to be called Dem ocrat is further impugned by his present readiness to abet Republican politicians 70 belittle that fine Democratic adminis- tration record which he personally did all he could to defeat
 The pity of tis that some Democratic spokesmen and Democratic journals have been willing to play the part of prompt and faithful echo to this Republican at- tempt to assault the regulations of men high in Democratic counsels. Their course of conduct is unworthy and all the more difficult to understand in view of the fact that only insinuation and ln- nuendo, and not one single specific charge of wrong doing, have been dl- rected at any member of the official family of President Wilson's administra- tion, although adequate proof of the be- trayal of public trust by members of the administration that succeeded Presi- dent Wilson's has been put forward. A Hereditary Policy" so cleverly portray ed on yesterday morning by The Age HeraId's cartoonist, MT. Harper, which illustrated the eAlger scandal of Mckin- ley's administration, and the Ballinger scandal of Taft's time, is title that we'll charactefizes the principle of ad- ministration exemplified in the situation affecting the naval oil reserves.
 Doheny's ghoulish dragging in of the name of the honorable and departed Franklin K Lane into the muck and mire of this business, merely because MT. Lane. upon retirement from his official position, went into his employment in executive capacity was but typical of the extremity to which those under investiga- tion have been driven. ' The same is true of the similar effort to involve the names of Gregory, McAdoo and others of the Wilson administration yet the effort does not deceive the American people into perceiving any parallel between crim- and the acceptance of private employ ment after leaving public life. The eff fort was undoubtedly conceived and di- rected by the Republican party machine. The American people are fair and just
 Therefore, this partisan Republican ef- fort will serve to shake, not strengthen, the confidence of the American people in the Republicar purpose and character. ! ANDALUSIA HELPING HERSELF This paragraph from the Andalusia Star speaks well for the people of that community and the faith they have in their town: "Andalusia is not waiting for dissatisfied New Englanders to come here and bring their cotton mills. Our people are building two with local capi- tai. That is the Andalusa spirit trans lated into action"
 There is an old saying that the Lord