Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-26
PANIC GRIPS c. D. P.
AS CHIEFS REALIZE
PER!LS Of OIL QUIZ
Daughety Situation Brings
on Party Crisis, With
Grave Fears for Outcome
of Next Election
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal
copyright, 1924

copyright, l924)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-Panic
has seized the Republican leaders In
Washington. Swept off their feet
bv the tales of an outraged public
opinion, the grand old party is
torn between fear of what may hap
pen in the next elections and the
knowledge that to yield to popular
clamor is confession of guilt
which upon investigation would not
be proved.
Attorney General Daugherty is a
dominant force in Republican poll
tics. Not only is he practical poll
tician himself but he has the cour-
age of his convictions. Chairman
John It. Adams, of the Republican
national committee, who has boldly
criticised Senators Lodge and Pepper
for daring to suggest to President
Coolidge that he call for Attorney
General Daugherty's resignation, is
as clean as a hounds tooth himself.
He does not live in the twilight zone
Of politics and his readiness to cnanl-
pion the cause of Mr.. Daugherty
can be taken to mean that he mas
made his own investigation OF the
facts and has come to the conclusion
that there Is no case against the at
torney general-nothing except the
impression resulting from the clever
attacks made by the Democratic
speakers in the senate.
Adams Plan to Prevail
Chairman Adams strategy will
prevail. Attorney General Daugherty
will have his hearing. Mr.. Adams
represents the strength Of the party
organiza ton. On one occasion DUR
ing the Harding administration
when Mr.. Adams ventured to ex-
press the opinion that it would be
unwise to agitate the world court
proposal this campaign year, there
was resentment in administration
quarters, but Mr.. Harding yielded to
the counsel of Chairman Adams
rather than split the party wide
open, and here Coolidge, who has
even more reason to remain regular
and keep in the good graces of the
national party organization Is ike
ly to do the same thing.
It is Mr.. Coolidge's real desire any
how. He does not think any men,
Der of his cabinet should retire I'M
der fire and without hearing.
Naturally the whole case is one of
political tactics. From a strategic
viewpoint the resignation of Secre-
tary DENLY was regarded by old line
politicians as a serious blunder, for
il carried with it not only the i'm
preston that he feared q public hear
ing and investigation, but it imme-
diately stimulated the Democrats to
ask for more designations, and they
centered their attack on Mr.. Daugh-
erty.
Must Show Fight
It is excellent strategy from a
party viewpoint for the Democrats
to get the Republicans on the run
and keep them there, so that the
country will lose confidence in the
Republican party. Men like Chair
man Adams think the game has gone
too far, and that it is time the Re-
publicans backed up against it and
showed fight.
Unfortunately for the Republicans,
they are not themselves sure what
evidence will be uncovered as the in
vestigation proceeds, for nobody
knows who speculated in stocks art
the time the oil leases were made,
and the national capital is full of all
sorts of rumorS But the Republican
theory is that speculation or invest
ment by itself is not reprehensible,
and that it will be up to the Demo
Gratis to prove that the men who
speculated were in some way con-