Evening star., 1925-03-13
Resubmission of Mr.. Warren.

President Coolidge's prompt action
In resubmitting to the Senate the
nomination of Mr.. Warren to be At
torney General was unmistakable evil
dence that he considers Mr.. Warren
in every way the most desirable man
for that office Moreover. the Presi-
dent by his act emphatically reasserts
his right to be the judge of the quail
fications of his Attorney General,
right vested in him by long custom.
But by far and away the most i'm
portant feature of the case is the
fact that the confirmation of a cabi-
let appointee has deteriorated into a
party issue. That has been proven.
1t was conclusively shown in the
action of Senator Overman. Demo
crat, who first favored confirmation
based on the inquiry made by the
committee on the judiciary and then
explained the change in his vote,
which prevented confirmation, by the
frank statement that my party does
not want this man confirmed
Prior TO this conclusive proof Of
partisanship evidence that the con-
trolling factor in the case was party
politics rather than the qualifications
of the appointee was not lacking. The
committee on judiciary did not sus-
tain the objections urged against Mr..
Warren's confirmation on any merit
found in them.
The action of the regular Republic
ans in sustaining the right of the
President to select his own advisers
was entirely consistent. The political
motives of the non-regular Republic
ans showed through the surface gloss
Of independent thought. They were
out to show their power. The solid
vote of the Democrats against con-
firmation was in itself ample proof
even without Senator Overman's con-
fession-that party considerations
rather than independent belief in the
unftness Of Mr.. Warren to be Attor-
ney General controlled their votes.
1t is incredible that every Democrat
in the Senate should have seen the
matter with that degree of conviction
in the unfitness of Mr.. Warren for the
appointment which would warrant the
extremely rare action of going con-
trary to the Presidents desires.
The Presidents decision to resub-
NIT his appointment to the Senate was
no doubt largely Influenced by these
facts. Over and above the presiden-
tial right to name his own advisers,
even above his undoubted belief that
serious injustice was being done his
appointee for purely partisan pur-
poses, the obvious dangers of establish
ing any precedent which would make
politics the controlling factor in the
confirmation of cabinet appointments
must have stood out in his mind. For
that precedent would tend to render
such appointments impossible, of con-
firmation whenever the control Of the
Senate is in the hands Of those polit-
ically opposed to the administration.
What the outcome of the resubmis.
sion of Mr.. Warren's name is to be-
1t Is impossible to predict. A second
rejection is anticipated on Capitol
Hill. The President is ready for the
showdown, apparently believing that,
after senatorial reflection upon the
dangers of the above-indicated prece-
dent and the serious responsibility Of
taking action which reflects upon any
mans integrity for no higher pur-
pose than the establishment of polit.
ical strength, the necessary votes will
be forthcoming. The country, known
to be strongly pro-Coolidge, will await
the outcome with keen and intelligent
interest.