The Washington times., 1924-02-14
WIDE INTEREST
IN HARDING AND
RALSTON
Financial Affairs Of President
and Senator'S Speech Stir
Whole Nation.
Continued from First Paee)

Continued from First Page)
them as irrelevant to the OIL in.
Quiry until Mr.. Vanderlip. who held
office under a Republican admins.
tration, insisted upon bringing them
forward in his now famous speech
at Ossining, New York.
Senator Walsh has consistently
taken the view that the Senate
Public Lands Committee is COM
miGsioned by the Senate to inquire
into the naval oil reserve leases
and that the affairs Of Mr.. McAdoo
and the affairs Of the late President
Harding, In so far as they do not
relate in naval oil reserve leases,
are outside the proper scope Of the
committees present work. !
Mr.. Vanderlip now, however, has
accused the committee Of not being
willing to uncover all the facts and
It is gravely feared here in both
Republican and Democratic circles
that besides all the relevant scandals
in the naval oil reserve matter
there viii be from now forward 4
continuing flood Of irrelevant scan
dalous gossip about all sorts Of
other matters.
VRnderlip Must Tell All.
It IL confidently asserted here
that no matter what may be shown
regarding the price paid for the
Marion Star it will not In any way
be shown that the price in question
had anything to do with 6ny off,
cial act by the late President Hard.
ing.
The worst that can possibly be
shown. it IL believed, is that in
White House circles there were
speculations which resulted In large
losses and that an effort was made
to recoup these losses. II this
effort got involved in the selling
Of the Marion Star, Mr.. Vanderlip
win be expected to say just why
and how.
The theory Of the matter in the
New York circles from which Mr..
Vanderlip derived his alleged in.
formation Is that the late Presi.
dent Harding was in financial
straits and that sort. of financial
rescue party for him was organ.
lied.
No intimation exists that this al
legged rescue party in any way pro.
cured from Mr.. Harding any word
or act as President on behalf of Mr..
Sinclair or Mr.. Doheny or any other
oil man.
Doubts In Washington.
The inquiry into Mr. Harding's
personal affairs. If 1t persists, win
be an inquiry into an alleged con-
nection between him and certain
speculative accounts known to have
been carried in local brokers off,
ces by former White House func-
tionaries in sums quite beyOnd the
means Of those gentlemen.
The line of theory then followed
will be toward trying to show an
association between these specula-
tive accounts and between the
losses incurred through these ac-
counts and the sale Of the Marion
Star. If these matters are in any
way shown to have had anything
to do with any act by President
Harding regarding q naval oil re-
serve, Washington will be much
surprised.
Meanwhile the speech by Senator
Ralston Is likely to have more In
fluence on future national politics
than any amount of inQuiring into
the finances Of q President who Il
not here to speak for himself.
The spectacle presented by the
Senate during Ralston's effort and
at the concluson Of 1t was one of
the most amazing in known con.
temporary Senatorial history.
Like Democratic Caucus.
"The Republican side Of the SEN
ate was virtually empty. The
Democratic side was packed. Raj.
Ston turned away from facing the
chair of the. presiding officer and
faced his Democratic colleagues.
They were all present to estimate
him as a future possible Democratic
national standard bearer.
Reading his speech from small
typewriter sheets Of paper, Ralston
directed his voice and Ieveled his
gestures at the Democratic party
gathered together out of ali the
Democratic part OF the whole Sem.
ate to listen to him. Il was like
II Democratic caucus held on the
Senate floor. It was a tryout run
for a proposed Democratic runner.
Historical In Importance.
At the end Of 1t this amazing
scene gave way to a new amaze
ment. Ralston's. Democratic Sena-
torial listeners burst into applause.
Such an act by Senatorial listeners
on either side of fhA CANatn a. nh
infrequent as to be almost his.
lowed demonstration even more
startling.
Conservative Democratic. Senators
and radical Democratic Senators
together rushed to- Mr.. Ralston's
seat ana grasped his hand ana
congratulated him and gave him q
sort OF ovation reception which rep.
resented approval from every va.
riety OF Democratic element in the
Senate,
Ralston is regarded as a con.
servative. Nevertheless, Senator
Wheeler or Montana and Senator
Dill Of Washington, the two most
radical Democratic Senator's in the
Senate, subsequently informed This
writer that they Joined their con-
servative colleagues in regarding
Ralston's speech an thorouNhIv
satisfactory from the general Demo.
cratic standpoint.
The conclusion widely drawn was
that II recent events should nrove
to have eliminated William Gibbs
from the Democratic Prosi.
dental race. then Ralston's speech