The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-09-25
WILBUR BLAMED.
HARDING, He
CHARGES
Secretary's View on Oil Scan
dial Quoted BY Democratic
Floor Leader Garrett
CONTINUED from First Page.)


ment him for calling. upon all the
resources Of the country and for en-
listing for the service Of the nation
in various capacities men like
Hoover, Davis, Wallace, regardless
OF their political affiliations, than
complain that he kept Theodore
Roosevelt from going to France"
anxious TO Forget.
Mr. Davis says the Republicans
are anxious to forget and the Demo
Gratis are glad to remember Gar
rett quotes Wilbur as saying, III
have taken advantage Of this ex.
preston to recount in a brief way
some of the things the Republicans
are willing and glad to remember
and some of the things they are
willing and glad to forget, but in SO
doing | am not oblivious to the fact
that Mr.. Davis was addressing his
remarks to the Republican admins
tration OF Mr.. Harding, and particu-
larry towards the so-called oil scan.
dial.
"EIe was trying to impress upon
the people that Republicans were
willing and anxious to forget ard
have the people forget that there
AAe.N OSSn o|J va cCduOdA1 bOs
It is true that If there has been
fraud or corruption in high places
in the Government the Republicans
are sorry. Anything that effects
the integrity of the Administration
q Washington is Of consequences to
every American citizen. we do NOT
want our Government to become
ND
gestions Of corruption In high offices
we are appalled, by the situation.
Mr.. Davis has complained that the
President has made no defense IN
connection with the oil, scandal.
That is true. The President has
made no defense for two reasons:
I'D No charge has been made
against him as President
90 Because he has neither the
disposition nor the purpose Of de-
Tending wrong-doing.'
Other excerpts from the suppressed
Wilbur speech, as printed In. full
To-Day by the Baltimore Sun, fol-
low:
1.-THE Presidents attitude IA that.
think, Of the average American
citizen
IF these men are guilty OF wrong.
doing they should be prosecuted ana
punished In accordance with the law.
They should be indicted by 4 grand |
jury, as they have been; they should
De prosecuted before q jury, as
tney VIII be, and IL found guilty, |
they should be punished according
~. This Is true regardless Of
whether they are Republicans or
democrats. Some are Republicans
and some are Democrats.
Attitude Of Coolidge.
The President undoubtedly be-
heves that it would be both i'm.
proper and undignified in him dur
ing the tendency of these cases in
the courts to assume the guilt or
the innocence of the defendants. It
would interfere with the trial of
these cases.
The only way they can be tried
is before jury of men who are
willing to swear they have formed
no opinion as to the guilt or inno-
cence OF the defendants. The Presi.
oent does not desire to influence In
any way the fair and judicial de-
termination OF the question of guilt.
Mr.. Davis does not charge and
does not believe that President
!narolng was guilty Of corruption
IN naming Mr.. Fall as Secretary of
the Interior, but he wishes you to
believe that he committed a politi-
cal error of Judgment which can
only be corrected by selection of
him, Mr.. Davis, as President. This
is because of what he characterizes
as party responsibility.
Attacks Davis Argument.
The Republicans are responsible.
he thinks, for this unwilling selec.
ton or a corrupt man to occupy
nigh office. He argues, therefore.
that all Republicans, because thew
belong to the party, are responsible
Tor this wrongdoing, and that the
only method by which they can
purge themselves Of this wrong Is
by voting the Democratic ticket,
NOW this process Of reasoning
may be very acceptable to the
members of the Democratic party.
out 1t seems to me a very poor
way to try to get Republican votes.
Tor Mr.. Davis asks every RepubIi.
can voter to believe that he Ia so
unged with the Republican cor.
ruption that he can only purge
nlmsen OF that faint by voting
the Democratic ticket.
This Is a new method OF saliva.
ton proposed by the Presidential
canoldate or the Democratic party.
Ene OLD method OF purging from sin
was not sufrtcient for the President
OF the United States to reach across
the continent and select as Secre.
tary OF the Navy a man who had
peen nonored by the people Of his
State, regardless Of politics, with
the highest judicial office within
the girt OF the people and place
tnat man In charge Of the Navy
OIL leases. 1t was not enough that
this newly appointed Secretary
should take personal charge of nj
matters pertaining to the oil re.
serves, should take personaI CHARGE
or those matters and should co.
operate fully and Completely with
the attorneys charged with the duty
of enforcing the claims of the Gov.
eminent for the revocation Of the
oil leases. It was not enough that
the President should have selected
a lawyer Of high position, of un.
questionedN integrity, a man who
had never been in politics, to oc.
cupy the high office of Attorney
General. These men were Repub.
licans and only by the Appointment
of Democrats could the stain be re.
moved.
This reasoning II SpeciouA and
not In accord with human expert.
ence or sound common sense.
Everybody know that the PrOsl-
dent Of the United States II honest.
Mr. Davis admits this. He not only
admits that Calvin Coolidge e.