Evening star., 1925-10-19
PLEA FOR BUTLER
GOES TO COOLIDGE
Pinchot Takes Request of
10000 God d-Fearing'
PennsyIvanians.

Thirty thousand "God-fearing. Con-
stitution-respecting, decent people of
Pennsylvania are ready to lay aside
business ties and come to Washington
to plead in person for the retention
of Brig. Gen. Smedley D. Butler as
head Of the Police Department of
Philadelphia, Gov. Pinchot told Presi-
dent Coolidge today.
Gov. Pinchot came to Washington
for the express purpose of asking the
President in the name of the Com
monwealth of Pennsylvania TO grant
the Marine Corps commander anoth-
er years extension Of his leave of
absence that he may be allowed ito
finish the job he has so well begun"
In a long statement following the con-
ference Gov. Pinchot declared that
removal of Gen. Butler at this time
would be a blow TO law and order
Strong and Ernest Desire.
Il came to Washington to lay be-
fore the President the strong and
earnest desire of the God -fear ring Con-
Stitution respecting, decent people OF
Pennsylvania that Gen. Butler should
be allowed to finish the job he has
so we'll begun Gov. Pinchot said.
Il told the President that Gen. Butler
is winning. but needs more time to
win completely, and urged him to let
Butler have it.
Butler has become the symbol Of
civic righteousness in Pennsylvania.
our people believe in him and respect
him. They are behind him. To take
him out now would encourage every
vicious element in the State and
weaken every force that is fighting
for decency. The cost to the respect
and enforcement Of law Of taking But.
10, ho -;, ,,,l,
Il told the President also that on
my Western trip last Summer I found
the same situation existing wherever
| went as exists in Pennsylvania.
Everywhere the people who stood for
the right thing wanted to know about
Butler, and were almost as deeply
concerned for his success as if his
work lay in their own States.
Emergency Remains.
II pointed out that to retain Butler
now would fall exactly within the
terms of the Presidents own letter to
kendrick of last December in which
he said that officers of the military
establishment should not be allowed to
do such special work except in case
Of emergency. There is such an emer-
gency in PENNSYLVANIA today More
over, it is of intimate concern to the
Nation that the SeSQu1centennial to
which all the countries of the world
have been invited should take place
in a city whose police protection will
do honor and not dishonor to the peo-
pie of the United States. If Butler
goes no one can guarantee what will
happen during the sesquicentennial.
Il told the President also that there
could be no pressing need in Buffers
return to the marines, since he was to
be assigned to a post of only 400 men.
Obviously the marines do not need
him now; Pennsylvania does.
Enforcement Suspected.
Il said to the President also that
law enforcement is under grave
public suspicion throughout the
United States and that to remove
the man who is doing the best en-
forcement work in America at this
time would have very serious results
on public opinion and on the actual
enforcement of the law
'Finaly, told him that we in Penn
sylvan1a see every reason why Butler
should be allowed to finish his work,
and none why he should be taken
away. We want him, we need him
and we ought to have him.