New Britain herald., 1925-03-16
THAT "BIITER ROW. IN THE SENATE

Senator Carter Glass, who was secretary of the treasury in 1919, when the valuation of Senator Cou- zcns' motor stock deal was made, is good enough an authority for all except the politically blinded in the Mellon controversy, Senator . Glass says that the then assistant : secretary of the treasury--Russell 1 c. Lcffingwell-and a corps of eX- perts were at the Ford plant for i weeks 10 arrive at the Couzens stock l valuation. Senator Glass also does ! well in pointing out the evil prece- dent of Secretary Mellon in reopen ing a tax case that had been closed by a previous administration. This precedent in the case of Senator Couzcns is contrary to previously announced policy of Secretary Mel lon not to reopen closed tax cases, the secretary having refused to up- set former valuations of certain cop per companies for that reason.
 The hatred existing between Mcssrs. Couzens and Mellon has blinded each of them, but not the country. Unfortunately the fight draws bitter partisans to each side, and such q disgraceful scene as took place in the Senate on Saturday is an inevitable result.
 Carter Glass. who knows the limitations of the trea sury is of the opinion that Mir, Mellon hasn't a leg to stand on in the offensive against Senator Couzcns. It is to be hoped this is true-not out of any desire to aid Senator Cou2ens in avoiding the payment of an addi- 1 tional income tax of $l0,S61,13l in the Ford stock sale, but because the reopening of one case closed by a i former administration would be precedent for opening others not yet out of reach by operative Of the statute of limitations, and much use less confusion can result.
 The nation has seen how a prose- cution was started in the case Of Senator Wheeler merely to stop or in revenge for. the Brookhart con- mittecs investigation of the De- partment of Justice of which Sena- tor Wheeler was the prosecutor
 Such prosecutions, and the attempt
 to intimidatc Senator Couzens, are
 bureaucratic methods of the worst
 type. They represent politics mixed
 with vengeance; and though neither
 attains it's object, the expenses of
 the bureaucratic side are paid by
 the government, while the objects
 of bureaucratic wrath must meet
 their own heavy expenses in defend
 ing themselves against the on
 slaught
 Secretary Mellon does rot shinf resplendenuy in a case made pubic by Senator Couzcns the other day the acceptance of a tax adjustmen of $2,600, 1000 from the Atlantic Gulf and West Indies Steamship Co The claim aganist the company va s9,OO0,o00, and Secretary Mellon
 department announced in eXpiana ton that the company would hay
 gone bankrupt if the full claim ha ' heen exacted. Secretary Mellon ma
 have been within his legal rights D accepting any adjustment he say
 fit. but the principle of the thing ma
 not appeal to citizens generally.
 Senator Couzcns' charge that pro
 hibition agents had been in touc
 with Senator Ernst of his commit F tee "hour by hour" over the telt phone, that important letters an " documents have disappeared irol
 the files of the committee, and thi II the treasury department is keepin itself informed through underhan' " cd means Of what the Couzens con
 mittee intends 10 do are of cour' '' violently denied. Nobody would e 10 pect it to be admitted. Such met
 ods are spec;alties of bureaucra' -o however, and ii is likely that, right '' or wrongly, most Of inc public W T. assume there may be some truth '' +l,a OL7rgaS