Evening star., 1924-05-19
Burns Resignation Is Viewed
With Satisfaction 10y Editors

The resignation of William ]. Burns,
director of the bureau OF investiga-
tion of the Department of Justice, is
viewed with general satisfaction by
the nations press. 1t was inevitable,
editors feel.
"It has seemed certain since evil
dence of how the Department of Jus
tice had become honeycombed with
political spies that Washington would
not long remain a healthful place for
Mr.. Burns,'' in the opinion OF the Mil
waukee Journal, yet, ~the house
cleaning has only begun" for 'the
old guard party leaders who made
this kind of thing possible remain"
The Albany Knickerbocker Press de-
clares, "Any one who is not totally
blind knew several weeks ago that
sooner or later Mr.. Burns would have
to drop from the Department of JUS
tice pay rolls" because public opin-
ion resulting from the Daugherty in
vestigation made it imperative that
he should co. The country, contin-
ues the New York Herald Tribune
has thoroughly tired of the plots and
counter plots through which he and
his satellites appeared to move" and.
1T Will be relief to have no more
of Mr.. Burns strutting on the stage"
His retirement at this time, the Lam
sing State Journal points out, tends
to indicate the changing aspect in
Washington; that the administration
is gradually revising the list of off,
cials in charge Of governmental ac-
tivities against which the most sus-
picion and criticism have been di-
rected" The country is to be con-
graduated, the Baltimore Evening
Sun feels but ESPECIALLY to be con-
tration, which is thus rid of an incu-
bus that could not but have proved an
increasing handicap as the months
rolled on
The Springfield Republican fndorses
this view. and hopes that the bureau
of Investigation will employ no CASTOR
B. Means as it's star investigator, and
detective system so that there will be no
official burglars on the government nav
roll, no agent provocateur,' no frame
up specialists and no witch-hunting unit
for the suppression of unpopular opin-
ions" The Birmingham News suggests
that so bitter is his denunciation of
Ills QeLIdCIOrS LnaC lC Is very difficult
to disarm the mind of a sort of blanket
suspicion that Mr.. Burns was asked to
resign, and that he is not doing it of his
own free will and accord" The Charles
ton Post agrees that ''his resignation at
this time was doubtless required by At
torney General Stone, and it was a very
proper thing and further earnest on the
part of the new head of the department
that decent and orderly methods Of ad-
ministering the Department of Justice
would take the place of Daughertyism
IN the government" Although his in
ternational detective agency found
place in popular fancy for awhile, along
side the illustrious Pinkertons," the
Grand Rapids Press insists -the snoop-
ing bureau Of investigation as con-
Quoted under his leadership took on so
preposterous q light under the glare
Of the recent Senate probe that the re-
doubtable William J. emerged at a
stature little higher than that of the
fatfoot dick who bulls his way
awkwardfy through the average mystery
play"
"Had he confined his activities to
the duties for which he was en-
ployed," the Nashville Banner holds,
"his position would have been Sc
cure and his fame might have con-
tinued to Increase" but his methods
were not Of high character and many
Of the men he employed were dis
reputabls characters; thus. "the
passing Of Burns should result in our