The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-07
NO UsURPATIoNs OF FUNCTIONS

NO OOOnI AAAON0 OI EONS11ON3
 There has been some tendency to criticize the Senate investigating committee on the ground that it seeks to usurp the functions of the grand jury. That is a very superficial view to take of the work of the committee. There have been grand juries without num- Der, any one of which could have proceeded as the Senate committee has proceeded, but the significant fact remains that they did not so proceed. Even now, with all the leads given by the published results of the Senate probe, the grand juries have not done their duty. Only in those cases specifically remanded to them have the juries functioned. Therefore, the Senate committee of inquiry is not usurping any grand jury function, but is fulfilling in effective and patriotic manner high obligation to the American people. If there is any grand jury anywhere that feels that it's functions are being usurped, such jury needs only to apply itself to its own immediate field of inquiry and there is presumptive opinion that such jury will find abundant material for its most diligent ef forts.
 The great majority of the American peo- pie are gratified at the work of the Senate committee. Although there may be some plays for political effect, as the Republicans have alleged, there can be no successful denial of the substantial nature of the committees findings. If there had been no basis for the inquiry; if there had not been open wrongdoing in government activities; if there had not been malfeasance and misfeasance on the part of high officials; if there had not been guilt among those whose public records were under scrutiny; if it had not been for these things, one former member of the cabi- net would not now be broken man. and two others would not now be discredited and re- duced to private life. And there is good reason to believe that the end is not yet. Others are coming up for examination. Al ready there are rumors of the trend the in Quiries shall take. Already is there fore cast of others to be involved in the dragnet of an honest and fearless investigation. The American people do not want the inquiry halted until all the guilty have drunk the bitter cup and until all those having guilty connection with public wrongdoing shall have been cast down from the positions they have betrayed.
 That the Senate committee is not seeking to usurp any regular functions of jury or of court is shown by the fact that as the evi- dence accumulates, it is turned over to the juries for inquiry and indictment. The Sem ate is doing what the department of justice has failed to do. Why the Senate has been forced to assume this duty is we'll revealed by the disclosures that led up to the forced retirement of the attorney general himself. The Senate committee has made it known in no uncertain language that it shall be satis- fled with nothing less than the trial and punishment of the guilty. Having puts its hand to the blow, it will not turn back, nor yield the place to those agencies whose fail ure forced the Senate to inaugurate its series of inquiries. The committee will drive through to the very end of it's fact-finding and will permit no technicality and no lesser considera- tion to impede it's examination of witnesses and it's tracing of evil to it's very lair. The American people are proud of the fact that, amidst all the intricate manipulations of pub lie betrayal, there are still found certain stall warts, unafraid,. who will not be halted until they have performed their duty.