The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13
President Seeks To Let
Crookedness Go On,
Says MissOurian
PRESIDENT AROUSED
TO FIGHTING PITCH
Has Apparently Decided
To Wage His Battles
Alone
LIST OF GRIEVANCES
is A LENGTHY ONE
Considered Doubtful, However,
That Senate Will Adopt I'm.
precedented Resolution
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
" Leased Wire to The Age. HeraId)

:
WASHINGTON. April 12.-Difficul-
ties between President Coolidge and
Congress are becoming so acute as toI
recall the i'll feeling which developed
between the White House and the capi-
toll in the closing days of the admins
tration of Woodrow Wilson. 4
These difficulties eliminated Satur-
day when Senator Reed of Missouri de-
livered the bitterest attack made on
Coolidge since he entered the White
House, declaring that the Presidents
message demanding that the Senate stop
its present methods of investigating fed
eral departments was an Insult" to the
Senate, Reed introduced resolution to
expunge the message from the records.
'"The President wants us to keep
quiet and let bribery and crookedness
go on" Reed declared.
In n debate with Senator Watson.
who upheld Coolidge, Reed said, THE
republic will live, even if we have to
investigate Mellon, even if we should
find another Fall. another Daugherty,
or another Mellon"
1t is considered doubtful whether the
Senate would undertake the unprece-
denied action of expunging the Coolidge
message from the record, but this lat
est development is significant of the
strained situation.
Majority In Name Only
Coolidge has a nominal majority in
both House and Senate, but it is
majority in name only. He has been
crossed time and again by the coalition
of republican insurgents and democrats.
The situation is worse for him than It
he had a straight out democratic ma
jority in both houses against him, be-
cause he must labor under all the handi-
caps of opposition control without en-
joying the advantages Of open fighting
which would be possible if Congress
were not ostensibly under republican
leadership.
The situation is beginning to irritate
the calm Yankee temperament of the
President. The harassments of the Sem
ate Investigations have finally aroused
him to the pitch of indignation, dis
closed in his message to the Senate pro-
testing against the methods of the Mel
Ion investigation.
His remark that 1T is time to re-
turn to a government under and in ac-
cordance with the usual form of the
law" is regarded here as a general
condemnation of the Senate investiga-
tions. There is every indication that
Coolidge has decided to cut adrift from
Congress and fight his battle alone.
Long Grievance List
Coolidge's list of grievances against
Congress is a long one.
1. The Mellon tax bill is being scut-
tied for a measure approximating the
democratic plan.
2. Congress is determined to pass the
soldier bonus measure against his OPP
position.
3. The world court plan Endorsed by
him has been pigeon-hOled by the SEN
ate foreign relations committee.
4. Congress insists upon passing the
Japanese exclusion provision of the inn
migration bill in face of emphatic pro-
tests from Secretary of State Hughes,
which have the sanction of the Presi-
dent.
5. Pressure from the Senate forced
out two of his cabinet officers--Secres
tary of the Navy DENLY and Attorney
General Daugherty.
6. The Senate rejected two of the
men he selected as special counsel to
prosecute the oil lease cases, and is now
debating whether it shall approve the
nomination of Samuel knight, named to
prosecute claims against the Standard
Oil interests in California.
I, The House seated Representatives
Bloom. democrat, and rejected the con-
test brought by former Representative
Chandler, republican, who was backed
by Coolidge leaders.
Coolidge has decided finally that IL
there is going to be any fight, he must
lead it himself. Despite repeated tongue
lashings from the republican national
committee, Senate administration lead
ers have refused to fight. They have
wandered around in dazed silence dur
ing the terrific assaults made during
the scandal Investigations. 1t is rare
when n republican senator has taken
the floor to make a real fighting an
swer TO the assaults of the democratic
batteries. Some counter attacks have
been attempted but they have been
feeble.
The first real sign of fight is now be-
ing shown by Coolidge.