The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-03-07
TRULY WATSONIAN

Fastening to offer an alibi for the many public
buildings he had promised to various Indiana cities,
which will not be built this year, Senator Watson
rushes to assure that he favors change in Senate
rules which will not permit any to talk him away
from the pork barrel in the future.
The plain bald truth is that the old guard killed
the public buildings bill, appropriation bills to pro-
vide for widows of veterans, bills to run the Gov
ernment@because that old guard feared what Sena-
tor James Reed of Missouri might discover in the
way of frauds if the committee which he heads is
given authority to continue.
The two Senators from Indiana a part of
that little group which declared that no matter
what happened to the Government, they would not
permit Reed to raise the issue of corruption by ex-
hibiting proof of corruption.
The method of killing this resolution was the
time honored ilibuster. which means that Senators
talk until Congress ends it's sessions through consti
tutional limitation.
fbuster is possible only in the closing days
of a session. Under the Senate rules, any Senator
may talk as long he pleases There can be no
vote as long as any Senator desires to talk Nor
can any other bill resolution be considered, until
the particular resolution bill unde consideration
has been voted upon.
A little group of old guard Senators determined
that they had had enough at Reeds Investigations
into campaign corruption.
1t an open secret that his committee in
tended to make further Investigations in only
State aside from Illinois, where insult, utility mag
nate had been exposed and Pennsylvania, where an
orgy of spending shocked the Nation.
That one other State, although unnamed was
probably Indiana. The resolution would have
given Senator Reed and his committee the power
to inquire into what happened at Gary and Evans
vile and in the many counties where the absent bal
lots gave Watson and Robinson their slight plurali
ties
A large majority of the Senate, Republicans and
Democrats, favored further Investigations. The
group to which Watson and Robinson are attached
objected
1t made no difference to them that there would
be no public buildings needed in many cities in In
ana if they could but stop this threatened inquiry
1t made difference to them that various
branches of the Government will be embarrassed
and probably to function, if they could avoid
that searching eye of Reed.
1t made no difference to them that the widows
of Civil War veterans and men who fought in the
late war would go without their pensions, if they
could escape this Investigation.
At every point in the long battle to secure VOTE
Senator Reed offered to stand aside and vote on any
all of these measures if the old guard would
sent to vote on his resolution His resolution had
precedence on the calendar. He was entitled to
vote it.
At every point the old guard, by refusing to per-
NIT an investigation of corruption, has made corrup-
ton the great issue.
The old guard called attention of the Nation to
the fact that it fears inquiry into the methods by
which its members were elected.
1t has made amazing confession that corrup-
tion of Government does exist Innocent men do not
fear inquiries. Innocent do not go to such
lengths to avoid Investigations
1t requires considerable nerve, even for Watson
to rush the word home that he favors change of
rules that will permit him to get building funds in
the future and Still retain the power of minority
to block Investigations into charges of fraud
Watson. continues to paint his own picture of
himself that can fail to recognize the brand
Of his craftsmanship.