New Britain herald., 1928-03-22
THE DRIVE ON MELLON

the ethics of cabinet officer. We believe the secretary is an honest man; but that has nothing iu com mon with the spirit that should ac- tuate tac conduct of monlher of the Presidents cabinet.
 The chief onslaught made against the secretary, of course, reNolyes around the fact that MT Mellon is engaged in carrying on trade or business while 3 member Of the cabinet. He may he doing so with out being the directing head of any enterprise, but even that is doubt full considering his large holdings. Such action. as Senator Couzons points out. is contrary to the law and is regarded by the statutes as q criminal offensc.
 Net MT Mellon vas engaged in these large enterprises before he be- came q cabinet member; his choice as such an official, indeed, largely hinged upon the premise that man Of such magnificent responsibilities ill private enterprise ought 10 be a capable man for secretary Of the treasury. It is quite likely that a majority of citizens still think so. But no matter what anyone thinks, law is law: and either the law is bad law and should be ignored or a secretary of the treasury should con- form to 1t. In Mir. Melons case he probably could not do so without resigning from the cabinet, which is unlikely. As the Senate lacks the power to force anyone out of the cabinet, merely being privileged to mako the suggestion through a res olution and then depending upon the President to take action if he secs fit, it is not likely that such an end will be gained by the oppo- n"nts Of the secretary.
 We rather think the law is unrca : sonablc if it is to be interpreted q. including stock ownership in corpor- ations. What members of the cab- met, for instance, is minus some such ownership? Whether a cabinet member owns little or much of in- l dustrial paper can scarcely be con- sidcrcd as the detcrminator so long as with such ownership actual con. 1 trol or operation does not accrue. Ii may be that Mir Mellon is in that class; as one of the half dozen rich est men in America this at least is possible, although not established to outsiders. Perhaps Senator Couzcns has inside information.
 Tax refunds given to favored cor. | pora'ions is a, charge that has beer made before against Mir. Mellon These refunds. it Is aid, were ma de ! 10 concerns in which the sccrctar, ! is interested. That the refund, aroused the ire of q Senate commit | tee IS d matter Of record: what Sen ator Couzcns seeks to prove is tha Mr. Mellon, through his position i, the government, was directly ro sponsible for such alleged fayorjt ism. Manifestly such a charge. if could be proven, would be serious. But all this comes at a time whc, Mr. Mellon is on the last lap of hi identification with the cabinet. un less Ill the case Of a Republican vic tory he were again named 10 ,h position.
 The defense of MT. Mellon by Sen a'or Reed of Pennsylvania natural
 is not taken seriously by most ol,
 servers. It is too much as if hi
 masters voice were speaking. Sen
 ator Reed has been consistent
 friendly 10 MT. Mellon and if orator
 and suivc words can smooth oye
 the troubled waters the Icnnsvlv;
 ma. senator can be relied ru,on do 3 neat joh.
 lt will b. interesting 10 watch t1 t'hc'iou of the Senate 3.s 2 nLo
 'o m" charges listed hv Senator Co,
 zenS. Regardless of their gravity is apparent that the entire Iine-u
 Hlll h" alonr political lines. with II exception of 3 few scnators. like NJ 'ouz"DS, who though Eep1l,llca,
 have been soured against Mir. Me
 Ion. 1T the Senate should happen
 pass 2. resolution demanding Il
 resignation of Nr, Mellon couir
 on the eve of presidential can
 palEn, II would have q most ii
 qui"ting effect upon tho countr,
 already fairly badly muddl politics.