Evening star., 1924-03-29
DRIVE TO COMPEL
MELLON TO RETIRE
STARTS|N SENATE
Resolution Questions Legak
ity of Position in View of
Secretary's Business.
OTHER CABINET MEMBERS
MARKED FOR ATTACKS
Hoover and Wallace Mentioned as
Next on List for
Investigation.

A drive to force the retirement or
another member of President Cool
idge's cabinet, Secretary Mellon, is
now getting under way in the SEN
ate.
Thls attack on Secretary Mellon
is described by some of the orgauiza-
ton republicans and others in the
cloakrooms as merely one step in
well defined plans attributed to demo-
Gratis and radical republicans for
distntegrating the cabinet one mem
Der at a time. Secretary DENLY and
Attorney General Daugherty have left
the cabinet within a few weeks as
an outgrowth Of sensational investi-
cations, and the gossip has 1t that
Secretaries Wallace and Hoover are
next in line after Mellon for the
same kind of treatment.
Administration leaders, however,
are confident the drive against Presi-
dent Coolidge's cabinet will meet with
failure in its attack on Secretary
Mellon.
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, repub-
ican leader of the Senate, who called
at the Teasury today, secuted the
able to oust Mellon.
There is not stronger man in
the country today than Mr.. Mellon"
declared the senator.
Asked If he thought there was any
possibility that the campaign admit
tedly being waged to uncover corrup-
ton In the administration. would also
retire Mr.. Mellon, Senator Lodge re-
Piled emphatically in the negative
secretary Mellon was out of the
city today. He has repeatedly re-
vealed, however, that he is not wor-
ried over the attacks directed against
him from the Capitol. He recently
replied sharply to the charge that he
had Influenced the bureau Of internal
revenue to make refunds Of taxes to
companies in which he is interested,
and declared that the Treasury De-
partment was being operated on the
basis of efficiency only. He has reg
lstered no objection to any proposed
investigation Of his conduct Of the
department, but has repeatedly re-
fused to all access to the tax returns
in hles OF the internal revenue bu-
reau- Certain returns have been
made available to Congress through
executive order
Takes Concrete Form,
The Mellon attack, which has been
developing for several days, reached
sion in the Senate yesterday OF Mr..
Daugherty's retirement, in which
President Coolidge also came in for
share of the uncomplimentary COM
ment- The executive also. was
assailed for delay and incation" in
a statement issued by Chairman
mittee, who found the Daugherty
resignation "a matter for public
qualification"
Senator McKellar, democrat, Ten
neSsee, introduced resolution for in
vestigation of the legal qualifications
of the Treasury head. but debate on
the proposal was delayed when Sem
ator Wadsworth, republican, New
York, objected to Immediate consid-
Grafton and forced it over under the
rules until Monday, since the cham
Der is in recess today.
Asks Connections Probed.
The resolution, which cites evidence
relating to Mellon companies" ad-
duced by the committee investigat-
ing the internal revenue bureau.
calls for an inquiry to determine
whether the Secretary "is directly or
indirectly concerned in carrying on
the business of trade or commerce;
whether he owns any sea vessel ''in
whole or in part" and whether he is
holding office in violation of statutes
cited, which prohibit maintenance of
commercial connections by the gov
ernment's fiscal agents.
Speculation as to Mr.. Daugherty's S
successor has Simmered down to Chief
Justice Arthur P. Rugg of the Massa-
chusetts supreme judicial court, Har-
Ian f. Stone, dean of the Columbia
University School of Law; Gov. Groes-
beck of Michigan, William 5. kenyon,
former senator from Iowa and now
Judge of the federal circuit court Of
appeals for the eighth district, who
was offered the naval secretaryship;
and Secretary Hughes of the State
Department.
Beck to Hold Post.
The President is known to be seeking
for the post a man possessing admins
trative capacity as well as knowledge
of law, and until his choice is made
and confirmed by the Senate, James N.
Beck, the solicitor general. will act as
Attorney General.
Several other designations in the De-
partment of Justice have been pre-
dicted in some quarters, but officials
mentioned, including w. j. Burns, chief
of the bureau of investigation, and
Augustus T. Seymour, assistant to the
Attorney General, said last night they
did not intend to follow Mr.. Daugh-
erty unless the President or the new
Attorney General should desire their re-
tirement.
Text of Resolution.
The Mcclellan resolution. relating to
Secretary Mellon, follows:
Whereas, section 243 Of the Revised
Statutes of the United States provides
as follows:
D." No person appointed to the office of
Secretary Of the Treasury, or first con-
troller, or first auditor, or treasurer, or
register shall, directly indiectly, be
concerned or interested in carrying on
the business of trade or commerce, or
be owner in whole or in part of any
sea vessel, or purchase by himself, or
another in trust for him, any public
lands or other public property, or be
concerned in the purchase or disposal
Of any public property, or be concerned
in the purchase or disposal of any pub
lie securities OF any state or of the
United States, or take or apply to his
own use any emolument or gain for
negotiating or transacting any busi-
ness in the Treasury Department other
than what shall be allowed by law; and
every person who offends against any
Of the propositions OF this section shall