The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-27
Hull Says Recent Disclos- ures Prove Reaction aries Dominate Ad-
 ministratiOn
CHARGES FEDERAL
 OFFICES EXPLOITED
Declares Practically Every De
 partment Has Grave Blot On Record /
HOLDS GUILTY IMMUNE
 FROM ANY EXPOSURE
Coolidge, He Ayers, Only Emerged From Lethargy When
 Jared By Publicity

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-Chair- man Cordell Hull of the democratic na- tional committee issued a statement to- night declaring the oil reserves disclos- ures are another evidence that the government is dominated by a "crowd of ruthless reactionaries,"
 ''The multiplication of scandals un- der the republican national administra- ton which came into power on March 4, 1921," he said, with the Teapot Dome naval oil scandal standing out as the greatest political scandal of this or any other generation, has created an additional political issue for the 1924 campaign, which without lessening the importance of many other sharply drawn vital issues is of paramount i'm portance to every voter and to every citizen regardless of political affilia- tions. The issue, bluntly stated, is:
 Shall the United States have cor rupt government or clean government?
 Reactionary Domination
 When this administration came into power on March 4, 1921, it was dom mated by the most reactionary element ever known in the history of a politi- cal party, which was in league with the most selfish and predictions financial and industrial special interests ever grouped together for public plunder and national exploitation. The repub- lican reactionary leaders construed the huge majority of 1920 as license to . use the government for their own sell fish and party ends. The predatory special interests, which own and finan- cially support the reactionary element in the republican party, levied tribute upon masses of the people as did the bandit Tariff and his followers in Spain in the eighth century, and have footed the government of property and resources. Administration officials have even turned over to private interests the oil reserves upon which our oil- burning navy and merchant marine would have to rely in time Of war. They have immeasurably weakened, if not yitaly weakened their own na- tion's ability to defend itself against foreign aggression.
 "This administration came in under the shade of the Newberry scandal anI the Daugherty scandal Others followed in quick succession, including the bu- reau of engraving scandal, the Gold stein scandal, the ship subsidy and ship sales Dcandal, the veterans bureau scandal, the sugar profteering scandal, the naval oil reserve scandal (ihclutling Teapot Dome), the reclamation service scandal, the income tax bureau scandal, the packers and stockyards scandal, the Tolbert scandal, the Slemp scandal, and long list of others less known, with one now brewing Tn the tariff commission, where three commissioners are or ought to be disqualified from act ing by reason of present or past affil- iation with interests affected by their decision. There is scarcely a depart ment of the government under this ad- ministration that is not discredited by its record and many bureaus not al- ready scandalized are under suspicion.
 Daugherty Played
 Since this crowd of reactionaries have been in control of the government. federal officials at Washington have been subservient to them that Senator Caraway declared so long as Attorney General Daugherty sits at the helm of the department of justice, they may sell the White House and be immune from any prosecution in the federal courts. None of the multiplicity of scandals has been exposed by reactionary republi- cans Not detail of the infamous Tea. pot Dome scandal would have ever been known excpt for the expose made by democrats, in the face of reactionary republican obstruction, eliminating in the startling and shameful recent reve- lations developed through the persistent effort of the great democratic senator from Montana, MT. Walsh. No one con- nected with administration scandals has t<.I hvy oIy .....- AZ The department of justice, which United Senator alleges to be under wide suspicion, has made no move to protect or defend the public interests, so far as they were threatened or affected by these scandals.
 During most of this administration, Mir. Coolidge was vice president of the United States and sat as an unofficial member of the Presidents cabinet. For nearly six months he has been President of the United States. During all this time he has>uttered no word of condem- nation of any of these scandals, nor a word of warning against those impend- Ing nor against the policy pursued by the republican reactionaries who domi- nate the administrations.
 Coolidge Comes Out Of Lethargy
 ''It was not until yesterday, when tes- tinmony concerning the alleged loans to Fall was made public, that he was aroused from lethargy to make any statement concerning the Teapot Dome scandal, and then only to say that he lg reluctant to believe that any one has been guilty of criminal intent. but that if evidence of criminality is shown, the administration will take action to pun ish the guilty and to bring about the annulment of the lease, which, of course, would be q mere matter of rou- tine. Until the testimony referred to was given. he has been as blind ap- parently, as Secretary of the Navy Denby professed to be when he testified in the Teapot Dome scandal. Secretary Denby, who signed the naval oil leases is still in President Coolidge's cabinet. and Theodore Roosevelt, who testified he approved the leases, k still Mir. Denbys assistant. Dr. Work, respon- sible for the reclamation service scandal, is still Secretary of the Interior. Others less offensive, but no less discredited, continue to occupy positions of honor and trust.
 Although the time would seem to be ripe for house cleaning throughout the entire administration, there is no promise of it nor any indication that it iD contemplated. On the contrary. the administration, from the President