Evening star., 1924-08-16
Attack and Reaction.

senator Walsh, fastening back to
Montana from his duty at Clarksburg,
where he notified Mr.. Davis of his
nomination, opens his own campaign
and that of the Democratic party in
his State with an attack upon Presi
dent Coolidge on the score of the lat
ter's responsibility for the oil scandal
Because the President in his speech
OF acceptance expressed himself brief.
ly though pointedly on this subject,
Senator Walsh declares that ''he has
not the sensitiveness to official mis-
conduct that the American people ex-
pect and demand of a President of the
United States Upon the hypothesis
that those who are now under accusa-
ton in connection with the oil leases
should in court be found guiltless, and
that the leases We're proper under the
law, he asks what the President would
think of the policy Of taking the oil
out of the ground and storing it in
tanks. The Montana Senator con-
c!udes that the Presidents election
would be a ''condonation of the dis
graceful record of the last three and
half years and distinct lowering of
the moral tone of the public service"
The political unwisdom of this line
OF attack becomes apparent upon brief
analysis. Calvin Coolidge stands be-
fore the country today primarily as
man of the utmost integrity. 1t will
be difficult in the face of his record
OF his known morality, of his scrupu-
lous devotion TO the loftiest principles
OF honesty and purity of motive to
convince the voters of this country
that he is callous in his view of cor
ruption, that he condones misconduct.
Much, of course, is to be forgiven a
political campaigner for hyperbole, for
exaggeration and for assumption of
discreditable motives on the part of
the opposition. 1t is part of the politi-
cal game to paint the enemy in the
blacklist colors while describing all
friends and associates as angels Of
light and purity. But judgment should
dictate some degree of conservatism
and in this case it would seem that
Senator Walsh has erred seriously in
Judgment in pointing an accusing
finger at a man who, whatever else
may be or has been said of him. stands
before the people as square and hon.
est, as one who abhors the debauchery
Of public Office and who insists upon
the cleanest possible performance of
duty in the public service.
Mr.. Coolidge has not condoned the
evils of the oil scandal or the miscon-
duct of those who misused their Of
fees. He has, on the contrary, con-
demned in no uncertain terms the
crimes and misdemeanors, the be-
trayals of trust and the departures
from the standards of official and per-
vealed. That in his speech Of accept
ance he confined himself to brief terms
is no revelation Of weakness in this
respect. The opposition has announced
that it will pitch it's campaign in the
key Of accusation. The Democratic
slogan is Treat 'em rough" The
presidential candidate of that party
has started the process. The Presi-
dent declines to be drawn into a cam
paign of vindication, and states the
principles upon which he stands for
election plainly and strongly.
Abuse often reacts. Senator Walsh
may find, will doubtless find, that by
accusing the President of moral slack
ness he has actually centered public
attention upon his high qualities. The
President could not, Of course, pro-
claim his own honesty Of view and
purpose. His opponents are in a fair
way of doing that for him.