San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-11
Message to Senate Is
Couched in Direct
Language.
MELLON IN PROTEST
Tells President Of Gun
necessary Interior
ence."
SENATE is WARNED
Tells Lawmakers to Return
to Usual Forms Of
Law"
SENATE is WARNED

Washington, ID. C.. April H.
President Coolidge, in a message to
the Senate today, advised that body
to maintain its constitutional and
legal rights in conducting investiga-
tons.
The message. couched in direct
language. was occasioned BY the ac-
tion of the Senate committee investi-
eating the Internal Revenue Bureau
in employing Francis ]. Heney of
California as special prosecutor at
the instance and at the expense of
Senator Couzens. Michigan. Republic
can member of the committee.
The President supplemented his
message with letter from Secretary
Mellon in which the treasury head
declared that should unnecessary in
reference" with the proper exercise
of his duty be continued, "neither I
nor any other man of character can
longer fake responsibility for the
treasury,
Employment of Heney was declared
by the President to be in conflict with
law and a procedure likely TO throw
the government into disorder.
1T is time that we return TO
government under and in accordance
with the usual forms of the law of the
land" the President said, "the state
of the union requires the immediate
adoption of such a course
Message Sent by Coolidge.
The Presidents message, addressed
to the Senate. said:
Herewith is n copy of letter
nf ha ~
Hon. Andrew W. Mellon. TO me, which
I feel constrained TO transmit TO the
Senate for its information. Also
copy of the resolution adopted by the
committee investigating the Bureau of
Internal Revenue. This is done be-
cause il. seems incredible that the Sem
ate of the United States would know
ingly approve the past and proposed
conductance OF one of its committees.
which this letter reveals.
There exists. and always should
exist. every possible comfy between
the executive departments and the
Senate or any of its committees in
order better to enable them TO perform
their executive or other constitutional
functiosls. ought always to be fur
nished willingly, and expeditely by
any department. M
The executive branch has nothing
that il would wish to conceal. from
any Legitimate inquiry on the part of
the Senate. But it is recognized both
by law and by custom that there is
certain confidential information which
it would be detrimental to the public
service 10 reveal. Such information
as can be disclosed / shall always ur-
hesitatingly direct to be laid before
the Senate. recognize also that II is
perfectly legitimate for the Senate to
indulge in political discussions and
partisan criticism.
Protests the Attack.
"But the attack which IS being
made on the Treasury Department
goes beyond anv of these legitimate re
quirements. Seemingly. the REQUEST
for a list of the companies in which
the secretary of the treasury was al
legged to be interested. for the purpose
of investigating their tax returns. must
have been dictated by some other mo-
tive than a desire 20 secure snfo-ea-
ton for the purpose of legislation
The abortion Of the resolution ALREADY
referred to is apparently subject 70
the same criticism.
The Senate resolution appointing
this committee is not drawn ~ terms
which purport to give any authority
TO the committee 10 delegate their au-
thority. or to employ agents and at
torneys. The appointment OF an ssrnt
and attorney II act in behalf Of tue
United States. but 10 be paid by some
other source than the public treasury
is in conflict N:th the spirit OF rroyi-
sion 1854 OF the revised statutes, the
aet of March >. 1917.
'The constitutional and legal rights
of the Senate Ough, 10 Be maintained
at an times. Also the same must b.
said of the executive departments Bnf
these rights ought not 10 be used rs
n subterfuse 10 cover unwarrantsd IN
rrus;on. II i the duty ~ the ENecv-
tive 10 resist such intrusion ard z"
hiring TO the attention - in' Scnatr
ifs serious consequences. 1hat 1 shan
do in this instance.
Under procedure of this klnd- ne
cons,i utipral guarantees aSsinsi IN
warranted search and seizure breaks
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