The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-03-05
DAUGHERTY BEST POKER
PLAYER IN PUBLIC LIFE
BY HARRY B. HUNT
NEA Service Writer

ETI ASHINGTON, March 5.-The
IWl best poker player in public life.
I That is the simple explanation
behind Attorney General Harry NJ.
Daugherty's ability to keep Washing
ton and the country guessing on his
play in the Great oil Gamble uncov-
cred by the Senate investigation OF
navy oil land leases.
No man ever maintained a more
inscrutable poker face" m a game
for high stakes than Daugherty has
worn throughout the Teapot Dome
session in connection with which it is
demanded he quit the cabinet
Whether he's blufing. or whether he's
really got the cards up his
sticking in the game, AVs% himself
knows.
Perhaps Secretary of the Navy
DENLY never played poker. He threw
down his hand and lost his stake early
in the game Many believe his cards
were as good as Daugherty's. but that
ha lacked the nerve and skill to play
them.
Owes No Debt
Just why Daugherty sticks IN the
game, however, to the admitted en-
barrassment of President Coolidge and
the administration, is another matter.
Daugherty does not feel he owes
either Coolidge or the G. o. P. organi-
cation heads who have been trying to
force him out any such debt as his
resignation under fire would imply
To save Coolidge's position in the next
campaign he is asked virtually to ad-
NIT inefilciency. incompetency or
worse in himself
The present administration IS the
present administration chiefly BE-
CAUSE Harry VI. Daugherty made 1t.
His efforts alone put Harding over for
the Republican nomination In 1920
His advice was a determining factor
IN the selection of the Harding cab
inc which was continued intact by
Coolidge.
Had Daugherty not put Harding
across for the nomination, another
combination doubtless would have
been made for the Vice Presidency
that would have left Coolidge out in
the cold
To tell Daugherty now that he
owes" Coolidge and the Administra-
ton anything is to give him a laugh.
As he sees It, all the debt is on the
other side. Without him. they would
never have existed!
Question of Ethics
The remaining question il one of
ethics-personat and political. Pass.
ing by the general ethical question
Of a public official clinging to power
after conditions have greatly weak
ened his usefulness in office. two
questions remain, from the viewpoint
Of Attorney General Daugherty. They
are:
I. Is it altogether fair and honor
able for the Administration to seek
to discredit, by forcing his resigna-
ton, the very man to whose efforts
the Administration, as such, primarily
owes its being?
2. Is it the duty OF the father,
meekly and without his day in court,
to accept blame and dishonor In or
der to advance the future prospects
Of the child? To "save the family
name?
Plays His Cards
Daugherty thinks not
He believes the cards hold success
only for the man who plays them out
to the end; to the man who will not
be bluffed.
Until he is called" he will raise
the ante, will stick in the game.
IT, when he lays down his hand,
he reveals only a pair of deuces, then
the world will know that he was just
a buffer.
If he turns up a winning flush he
will feel justified in any uneasiness
he may have caused even Coolidge
and the Administration.