The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-13
The Senator's Anxiety

haps they will be satisfied with the laugh that is
coming over the latest official service of SEN
ator Arthur Robinson.
The Senate on Monday had before it the
question Of permitting Senator James A.
Reed Of Missouri to complete his work of delv
ing into the corruption of elections in 1926.
His work in that matter had resulted in
the Senate refusing to seat two gentlemen
whose title to the Office Of Senator was discov-
cred to be badly tainted with corruption.
The other Senators and the Nation knew
that as discoverer Of iniquity, Reed had few
equals and no superiors.
But the inquiry of Senator Arthur Robin
son was suggestive.
What he wanted to know and demanded to
know before he gave Reed any more or fur
Their power was whether the Missouri Senator
intended to investigate the elections in 1928.
When he was assured that Reed would
make no such inquiry, Robinson voted against
the resolution anyway.
The anxiety of Robinson over the possible
investigation Of next years election is amusing
as we'll as suggestive.
Of course, the Senator will be candidate
in the primaries and therefore has very deep
and personal interest in the matter
But in all probability his personal interest
in the elections will end with the primaries for
it is inconceivable that party which is now
on it's knees in penitence and is looking for
some way in which to re-establish itself in
public confidence will think very seriously of
making the junior Senator it's candidate or
leader.
That alone would stamp any cleanup
movement with so much of the appearance OF
absurdity and insincerity as to make any other
movements in that direction more than joke.
In the general demand for new day and
cleanup, it is difficult to figure where Rob-
inson will fit into the picture, except as on
these rare Senate occasions he shows deep
anxiety about any probes and Investigations OF
fraud.
That has It's value if it is properly inter
preted as making more convincing the de-
mand for a real reform from within.
That the Senator is now in Office only be-
cause there had not been made in the fall of
1926 the exposures which have since come from
the grand jury rooms and the "Black Boxes"
is only Statlng ponI1cdl IdcG.
The Senator probably best knows that had
the Indictment of Governor Ed jackson, who
named him to his Office very speedily after ne
had offered the place to Frank Ball OF Mum
Gle. under conditions never fully explained, and
the conviction of former Mayor John L.
Duvall, one of his strong supporters, occurred
before the 1926 elections, the voters would
oo1co &o +ho nfo
Had the Senator made the explanation when
he was candidate that he made few weeks
ago concerning the Christmas present by Ste
phenson to a member Of his family, it is hardly
conceivable that even he believes he would have
been elected.
Had the people understood that he acted
as telephone girl'' for the head Of the
Anti-Saloon League when the dry leader
wanted to talk about Supreme Court decisions
with Senator Watson, they might have re-
acted differently to the appeals Of Arthur.
Under these conditions the anxiety of the
Senator over any possible probe by Senator
Reed in 1928 becomes suggestive.
Why should he hesitate to have the entire
Senate on guard in Indiana next year, if the
Senate wishes to see that elections are with
out fraud?
Why should he object to Senator Reed ask
ing any question, in the name of the Nation,
concerning elections in Indiana?
No other citizen would object No citizen
who casts his ballot for his favorite would
possibly think of having every safeguard
thrown around that ballot.
Perhaps later the Senator will explain why
he was so anxious about keeping Reed away
from next years ballot boxes and campaign
methods.