The Washington times., 1924-02-22
DAUGHERTY HAS
SENATORS IN
QUANDARY
G. 0. p. Leaders May Have
to Support or Break With
Executive.

Attorney General Harry M
Daugherty stood his ground today
before q veritable army Of critics
intent on ousting him from the
Cabinet.
The Attorney General defied his
Senatorial foes by fatty refusing
to resign and threatening to invade
their home states to plead his de
Tense before the bar of public
opinion" His position was strength
ened by the apparently silent sup
port Of President Coolidge.
Holiday Gives Respite.
Due to Washington's birthday
Daugherty won a weekend armistice
in the fight to force his resignation
With a score of Senators absent on
speaking engagements in nearby
States. both factions agreed to post
pone further action until Monday
on the Wheeler resolution author
izing an investigation Of the Depart
The respite gave Daugherty's
Democratic foes, led by Senator
wheeler Of Montana. an opportunity
to seek additional evidence in sup.
mort Of their sensational charges OF
malfeasance, neglect Of duty and
sale of Influence" by officials IN
Daugherty's employ. At the same
time, an investigation was con
tinued in New York for further svi'
dence OF reported stock deals on
the part of the Attorney General
since he entered the Cabinet.
Senator Wheeler, who charged
Daugherty had traded in Sinclair
oil stock, announced today he would
make his evidence Of the transac'
tons public as soon as the Senate
Investigation was authorized.
To Prove Charges
"I shall take action to prove the
charges that Daugherty dealt In
Sinclair II stock through a New
York brokerage, as soon as the
Senate investigation is authorized,
said Wheeler. II am just as anx-
ious to give the Attorney General
a fair hearing as he declared him
self to be. There will he no white
washing this time.
The Senate, meanwhile, studied
Daugherty's rebuke to its leaders,
expressed in his letter to Senator
Pepper Rep.) of Pennsylvania.
Democrats gloated over Daughtery's
condemnation OF leadership
which accepted as final, the base
less, scandalous and defamatory
charges Of my political adversaries. "
1t was the Democrats contention
that Daugherty had placed the Re.
publican side Of the Senate on
record publicly as repudiating its
own Department of Justice.
Letter Wins Supporters.
On the Republican side, the At
torney Generals defiance had a
marked effect. 1t was conceded
Daugherty had won additional
champions within the majority
ranks by his unequivocal denial
Of all accusations and his ready
willingness to fight his accusers.
1t was also pointed out that
Daugherty had forced Republican
leaders into a position where they
must choose between an open break
with the executive branch Of the
Government or else rally to his de.
tense.
1t was limited in Senate corridors
that the latter course would be
adopted. Republican leaders, at
least, were planning definite line
OF combat to prevent early consid.
Grafton of the investigating resolu.
ton, principally through parliamen.
tary maneuvers. On the final roll
call, however, they intended to sup.
port the resolution.
Democrats used Daugherty's let.
ter to attack the Republican side
for a change of face" Senator
Caraway of Arkansas sarcastically
charged Administration Senators
were trying to apply lynch law
to the Attorney General.
DesertiOn Condemned.
Senator Robinson, the Democratic
floor leader, ironically condemned
the Republicans for deserving
Daugherty.
"Daugherty's usefulness has ter
minated when even his own party
repudiates him." said Robinson. 1T
was odd however, to notice that
Daugherty invokes the same argu-
ments defending himself against
his party leaders that were used
by Republican senators in their ef-
forts to shield Secretary DENLY.
Daugherty demands' orderly proceed.
ure and a. public trial, which his
party leaders deny him, although
they demanded it for DENLY. The
Attorney General. however, has
plainly indicated he will fight those
| leaders.
"In my opinion, the President
! has right to choose his own
cabinet advisers and it is ridicu-
; lous to say the executive should
not be permitted to remove an ad-
wiser, found no longer useful, ex-
cept after a public trial. The
public Is entitled to have at the
head OF the Department of JUS
tice an officer who can claim not
only the confidence of the Pres
ldent, but one who can reasonably
sustain himself in the public es.
| teem."
| WASHlNCTON'S BIRTHDAY