The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-22
Resents Letter Of Sena- tor Pepper Suggesting
 That He Resign
MAY APPEAL TO BAR
 OF PUBLIC OPINION
Oil Committee Investigating Re port That He Traded In
 Sinclair Stock
SAYS CONSTITUTIONAL
 RIGHTS DENIED TO HIM
Reply Sent To Information Tint Lodge And Pepper Had Told
 Coolidge To Discharge Him

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Attorney General Daugherty turned on his as- sailants today with a threat to taks to the country his fight to retain his place in the cabinet. s
 If the Senate, he said. already had convicted him without hearing and on "insinuations and falsehood," nothing remained for him but to plead his cause before the bar of publicA opinion.
 The attorney generals challenge was issued after it had been disclosed that the oil committee was inyestigat- ing report that he had dealt in Sin clair Oil stock.
 This report, brought to Washington by special investigator, not only has been laid before the committees, but also. has been called to the attention of President Coolidge b Chairman Lenroot and other admins atiop lead- CTS in the Senate. /
 In his public statement whicn took the form of an open letter 70 Senates Pepper, republican, Pennsyivanis, Mir. Daugherty made no specis rnentior oi the reported oil stock trs sections or of any of. the individual arees r1sds publicly against him. In aad he ila, clared in general terms tht sonle send tors were denying him ,nstitntional privileges. which are B., ordes "ths basest criminal
 Stresses Constitutions 2igiss
 'Is the preservation O the or6erlyi processes of the law and the preservn tion of constitutional right cf 10 i'm, portance" he asked. tG4 ~
 Shall reputations be destroyed and public officials driven from office by clamor, insuation and falsehoodT
 The letter was written to Senator Pepper in response to a note which the senator sent to him late yesterday afternoon and Senator Lodge of Mas sachusetts, republican leader and urged upon President Coolidge, the retire ment of Mir. Daugherty. '.
 The attorney general wrote that note with amazement your suggestion that my interests are not to be, de- cided on the basis of justice or inc justice even though my honor, rspute- tion and all, that I hold dear in this world. are at stake Quoting Sena- tor Pepper that Mir. Daugherty t'is on the wrong side of an issue in the mind of the public" the letter said that ap- parentIy that statement referred to the charges made in the Senate Tuesday by Senator Wheeler, democrat, Mon- tana,
 Says Decision Reached Without Evi.
 dence
 You have their concluded" Mfr. Daugherty wrote. that I am on the wrong side of an issue without. hear ing, without evidence, and accepted as final the baseless, scandalous and de- famatory charges of my political ad- versairies will never be a party to such a program"
 Senator Pepper said in a statement tonight that he had sent his note to the attorney general after he left the White House because it had occurred to him that perhaps in performing .'an unfortunate duty" he had been in 'sths position of saying something about man behind his back" He added that he did not regard his communication as requiring a reply and he refused to comment on MT. Daugherty's letter. The attorney general sent copy of his letter to the White House, but of. ficials there said he had not copsnItad them before he wrote it. The aa1 ,.e, comment to make on 1t nor would they indicate whether the argum rts df 1d- leaders in the Senat te had any effect on the Presider'
 During the day negot,ptJqas looking to early adopticr o' iha resolution proposing an investiga ion cf Mfr. Dougherty's administ~a tion were cop. tinued in the Senate. Senator sthceief, author of the proposal had several conferences with Senator Lodge, and it was understood the majority leader was inclined to accept the personnel of the investigating committee proposed by MT. Wheeler.
 Inquiry Not To Be Delayed
 On his part, the Montana senator expressed willingness to eliminate from his resolution the provision naming the of five. Under this plan the headed by Senator Brook. hart, republican, Iowa, and member of the LaFollette insurgent group would be appointed by President Cummins as is the usual custom.
 Heretofore, republican organization leaders have been inclined to favor a different personnel but it was apparent today that they were not disposed to delay the inquiry or in any other man. ner to impede the real investigation" asked for by Senator Wheeler.
 It was Senator Wheeler who dis closed that the report of the speeial