Evening star., 1924-02-23
ADAMS DENOUNCES
c. 0.P. 'TRADUCERS'
Sees Attacks on Denby and
Daugherty as an Effort to
Shift Guilt.


cation yesterday of attempts to force
Attorney General Daugherty to resign
without opportunity of defense,
Chairman Adams of the republican
national committee last night issued
tho following statement:
The integrity of a former repub-
1ican cabinet official has been called
into serious question because he ac-
cepted money while in office from GER
tain oil interests. The reputation of
three former democratic cabinet mem
berS and other democrats prominent
in the Wilson administration has been
affected because they received money
from the SAME oil interests as hire for
their political influence with their
own administration.
$50 much for the facts regarding
the use of money disclosed up to date
in the oil investigation. Taking ad-
vantage of this situation, a 4eW po-
litical blackguardS and scandalmon-
gers have launched a general cam
paign of slander against members of
the cabinet and others high in official
life.
Declares DENLY Clear.
'|One of the victims of this cam
paign is Edwin Denby, Secretary of
the Navy. The record shows. he did
not perform single act in connec-
tton with the leasing of the naval oil
reserves that was either illegal or
immoral - much less a betrayal OF
public trust or inimical to public well
fare.
Not one of Secretary Denby's de-
tractors can quote any official record
or sworn testimony to the contrary
Not one dare make his accusations
outside the halls of Congress where
he claims protection in the preroga-
tive of uttering slander.
Now, it is being charged that At
torney General Daugherty was
party to the transaction. Ae had
nothing whatever to do with the oil
leases He was not even consulted
regarding them. Those making these
charges claim they want congress
Sional inveSti cation of Mr.. Daugherty
in order to bring out the facts. But
they are not willing to wait for the
investigation.
What they hope to do is to force
Attorney General Daugherty to re-
tire from the cabinet before such AN
investigation can take place. They
hope he will prefer such retirement
to the alternative OF remaining in Of
flee to be haras ssed and slandered
THE republican party organization
stands unaltera bly, for clean and hon
est administration of public affairs.
1t does not condone betrayal of pub
lie trust or seek to protect those or
its party guilty Of such betrayal But
-
be proved or shown by evidence that
admits of no doubt. Hysteria is not
proof. Libel is not truth. Idle Sos-
sip and hearsay scandal are not evil
dence.
ITO punish innocent men upon
such irresponsible and disreputable
grounds often results in letting those
who are really guilty esca pc. 1t is
not without the range of possibilities
that those who are now making wild
- L. Al-
20 sacrifice innocent men in order
that guilt which should be ferreted
out and properly placed may escape
detection.
Says Charges Revamped.
This is not the time to yield to the
threats of those who are conducting
this campaign of political terrorism
or to tho demands of those who are
frightened by such methods. The
record shows that most of the charges
now neing made are merely re-
vamped from those made some time
ago by a member of the House of
Representatives in a demand for At
torney General Daugherty'S impeach-
ment.
Testigated by House committee.
which, by a vote of 20 to ], denounced
them as untrue and unwarranted.
This decision of the committee. the
House of RepreSe natives cOncurred
in by an overwhelming vote on nom
partisan lines. The new charges now
being made are nothing but cheap
gossip, part of which has already
been utterly discredited.
Say Method Lnamerican.
Why should Attorney General
Daugherty resign without Il hearing?
That is not the American way of do
ing things. 1t is tims for officials of
integrity to face their detractors and
place the brand of infanry upon those
who make their public office the
uouthpiece of foul calumny.
America, her institutions and her
form of government, are not now, and
never will be, endangered by enemies
from without. Her menace is from
those who, for the purpose of elevat-
ing themselves into the limelight Of
questionable notoriety, or of serving
the baser purposes of partisanship.
seek to destroy the faith of the
American jeop1e in their public Off
Gals and institutions.
The time lras come for republican
leadership to stop acting on the de-
fensive, and to begin aggressive war
fare on political traducers, who sat
silent. while the greatest orgy of
waste, incompetency and corruption
that the world has ever witnessed
took place in Washington under the
democratic administration"