The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-03-28
Presidents Letter

Presidents Letter
President Coolidgc's letter to the
Acknowledgement requesting his re-
signation was written under date
of March 27. 1t follows:
my dear Mr.. Attorney General:
"Since my conference with you I
have examined the proposed reply
that you furnish the committee in
vestigating the Department of Jus
tice with files from that Department
relating to litigation and to the Bur-
eau of Investigation. You repre- sent
to me and to the committee in your
letter that it would not be compati-
BILE with the public interest to COM
ply with the demand and conclude
your letter with a statement that |
approve that position. y
Certainly approve the we'll es-
tablished principle that departments
should not give out information ,'r
documents where such course would
be detrimental to the public interest
and this principle is always peculiar
ly applicable to your department
which has such an intimate relation
to the administration of justice. But
you will readily perceive that l am
unable to form an independent judg-
ment in this instance without a long
and intricate investigation of. vol
luminous papers which ! cannot per-
sonally make and so should be COM
PEELED to follow the usual practice
in such cases and rely upon your ad-
vice as Attorney General and head Of
the Department of Justice.
But you will see at once that the
committee is investigating your per-
sonal conduct and hence you have be-
come an interested party and the
committee wants these papers because
of claim that they disclose your
personal conduct of the department.
Assuming that the request of the
committee is appropriately limited to
designated files still the question
will always be the same. In view of
the fact that the inquiry relates to
your personal conduct you are not in
position to give to me what would
be disinterested advice as to the rub
lie interest.
Positions In Conflict
you have personal interest in
this investigation which is being
made of the conduct of yourself and
your office which may be in conflict
with your official interest as the At
torney General. ! am not question
ing your fairness or integrity. l am
merely reciting the fact that you are
placed in two positions, one your
personal interest and the other your
office of Attorney General which may
be in conflict.
"How can satisfy request for
action in matters of this nature OH
the ground that you as Attorney.
General advise against it when you
as the individual against whom the
inquiry is directed necessarily has a
personal interest in it? ] do no. see
how you can be acting for yourself
in your own defense in this matter
and at the same time and on the
same question acting as my adviser
as Attorney General.
"These two positions are incompa-
tible and cannot be reconciled. l am
sure you will see that it is neces-
sary for me to have the advice cf a
disinterested Attorney General in
order that may discharge the duties
of my office in this and other mat
ters. feel certain that you will.
know how deeply | regret that this
situation has arisen. 1t only illus
trates the difficulties which are GER
tain to recur with ever increasing en-
barassment and your inability to per-
form satisfactorily the duties of At
torney- General under present condi-
tiOns.
"You will readily understand that
it is not now my intention to preJu-
dice the issues which remain to be
Continued on pa9e ~