The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-29
DAUGHERTY'  BY COOLIDGE Attorney General Resigns At Demand Of The
 President
 
 BRISTLING LETTER SENT TO EXECUTIVE Retiring Official Declares tCowardice Is Never
 Expedient' HUGHES MENTIONED AS POSSIBLE CHOICE Others Named In Connection With Vacancy Include
 W. S. Kenyon
HUGHES MENTIONED AS POSSIBLE CHOICE
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, March 2S. = Harry M. Daugherty passed out of public life today in a tempest that terminated befittingly his three stormy gears as attOney general.
 His appointment to the cabinet by Resident Harding was the subject of criticism and his resignation came at the virtual demand of President Cool idge and in the midst of a sensation producing Senate investigation of his official acts
 President Coolidge asked for the re- signation because he felt he could not depend upon Mir. Daugherty for dis interested advice and because he be- heyed the Attorney General could not perform satisfactorily the duties of his office amid the conditions resulting from the Senate inquiry.
 MT. DaugheTty rendered his resig- nation solely out of difference" to the Presidents request and asked that it be effective at once Then as a private eitiDen he addressed an open letter to the President scathingly denOuncing those who had advocated his retirement and declaring Mir. COolidge's stated reasons for asking his resignation were -hardly warranted by the facts" The letter bristled with declarations that the Presidents suggestion that an at tack upon a cabinet officer disqualified him for further service is a danger Ous doctrine" and that "c6wardice and surrender of principle are never ex- pedient'
 Leaves Fer Atlantie City
 Before this letter was received at the White House Mir. Dargherty cleared his desk, left the department of justice and soon was abroad q train en route to Atlantic City. He plans to return to Washington next week for the purpose only of closing up his private affairs
 By reason of Mfr. Dauxharty's retire. ? neus, President Coolidge for the sec ond time within six weeks is faced with selection of a new cabinet officer. Immediately Mir. Daugherty's resigna- tiOn became known there arose a dis cusSiOn of many names Some were eliminated as soon as mentioned for one reason or another and others were dropped during the day with the result that the list of those mentioned to- night included Chief Justice Arthur F. Rugg of the Massachusetts supreme judicial court: Harlan F. Stone, dean of the Columbia University School of Law; Gov. Alexander J. GrOesbeck of Michigan; William S Kenyon, former senator from Iowa, and now judge of the federal circuit court of appeals, Eighth district, and Secretary of State Hughes.
 The President has given no consider atiOn as yet to any particular persons, but has decided that the man he selects as Attorney General must have a lnOwIedge of law mad must possess ad- ministrative capacity
 Hull Attacks Coolidge
 sThe passing of the Attorney General vent not unnOtieed in the Senate, where he so often has been the sub ject of debate Several democratic sen afors discussed the matter and tonight their comment was augmented by a formal statement by COrden Hull, chairman of the democratic national committee. criticiSing President Cool idEe for delaying his action
 James M- Beck, solicitor general, automatically became acting Attorney General with the retirement of Mir. Daugherty and will continue as head of the department of justice until the cabinet vacancy is filled Belief was expressed in some quarters that s reorganization of the department per sonnel would be the result of the re- linquishment by MT. Daugherty of his duties but friends of Augustus T. Sey- mour, assistant to the Attorney Gen eral and of the various assistant at torney general, and of William J. Burns, friends of Mir. Daugherty, and director of the bureau of investigation, said they all would remain unless the Presi- dent or the new Attorney General de sired otherwise
 Private Citizen" Letter
 Mir. Daugherty's private citizen letter was delivered to the White House from the departmnet of justice
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