Evening star., 1924-05-10

Millionaire, political leader, finan-
ciaI magnate, adviser and example to
great commonwealth-and now
bankrupt convict That is the story
of Warren T. McCray, Governor Of
Indiana whose sentence to ten years
in a federal prison is unanimously
commanded by the nations editors
1t is agreed that the case is one of
the strangest in the criminal annals
of the United States The demand
for men of character as candidates
for office should be more insistent and
widespread as the result Of the con-
viction of Gov. McCrav, editors say.
In the opinion of the Portland Ex-
press, "It is for the psychologists and
criminologists to explain how a man
can have an honorable and successful
career until nearly sixty and then
embark upon a career of crime that
a get-rich-quick individual of the
Wallingford type would be ashamed
Of" Pride of success. pride of posi-
tion, pride of power. the New Orleans
Times Picayune suggests was
stronger than conSci ence, more power
full than judgment" At any rate,
the case stands on its merits, or
demerits" the Kansas City Journal
holds. "as an illustration of inexcusa-
BILE fraud by the highest official in
the state acting as an individual, but.
by reason of his prominence in the
public eye. to that extent betraying
the trust placed in him" The Co
lumbuS Dispatch points out 1.-The dis
grace to the state of Indiana reflects
heavily upon the voters themselves,
who voluntarily lifted him to the
position where the honor of the state
could he tarnished by his unlawful
transactions"
X X X
The Milwaukee Journal, however,
explains Gov. McCray was elected
not because he promised to do any
thing for Indiana, not because he had
anything to offer, but because he had
the party machine behind him." but,
when a state has live issues, when
a man must give promise of doing
something worth while before he is
honored with high office, we don't get
the McCray kind" His conduct, ac-
cording to the Louisville Courier
Journal, .'is all the more shocking be-
cause the state whose chief magis-
trate he was and the people whose
confidence he betrayed have been
known for more than century to be
ruggedly honest and passionately
patriotic
The sentiment of Indiana is ex-
pressed by the Indianapolis News
when it says: The resignation of the
governor has brought to the people
a great sense of relief. For this they
are grateful McCray might have ap-
peaIed and continued to hold on. such
situation would have been intoler-
able"
ain view of the disposition in many
quarters to exaggerate the value OF
business men in high political sta
tions," the New York Evening World
mentions, "the experience of Indiana
has not been such as to make the ex-
pertinent impressive" for "ftS three
business man governors have been
failures" In this connection the
Knoxville Sentinel notes that many
public officials of today appear to be
obsessed with the strange conviction
that public Office places them above
the law and they can do with i'm
punity what ordinary citizens may
not" Feeling that those who COM
plain of the Senate Investigations
must be perfectly satisfied with Judge
Anderson's court, the Springfield Re
publican insists the people must
back up the court, which has done its
duty so conSpicuously, by scrutinizIng
the character of candidates for ofhce
more CLOSELY anu TuInlcSSiS, dho, II
this suggests adding to the terrors of
candidating and office-holding, ctti-
zens of integrity and ideal will still
be ready to face the facts candidly
and submit to the most searching 6
tests of personal fitness for public
service"
X X X
The Omaha World Herald cites the
brighter side of the case in that 'ft
vindicates the majesty of the law"
which -is gratifying and reassuring," !"
because, when Americans are given
to realize that there is not one law
for the powerful, another for the
humble; that there is not one law for
the rich, another for the poor, the
foundations of the republic are
strengthened" If this were not true
I'VE should have a right to despair" ;"
asserts the Providence Journal In
deed. .it is refreshing" continues the
Memphis News -Scimitar. TO observe