The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-03-26
WATSON HIT IN
new TRADE
OF ROBINSON
Criticism of Vote on Oil
Lease Bill Strikes
Senior Senator.
ASSAILED BY TYDINGS
States Junior Member in
Upper House Challenged
to Tell Own Story.
81 Times SpecinL


WASHINGTON, March 90
Senator Robinson of Indiana found
himself in company today of the
elder Senator La Toilette of Wis
conSin, "irreconciliable," who ran as
an independent for President, and
in direct criticism of Senator ]. E.
Watson, Robinson's party leader in
Indiana, and a favorite son candi-
date for President.
Robinson Saturday "bawled out
the Senate for not needing La Fol-
lette's advice against the act of
June 3, 1919, which legalized leases
in the naval ell reserves to offset
drainage from private wells outside,
and cited the roll call of that day
upon an amendment proposed by
La Toilette.
He was seeking to criticiSe Sena-
tor Walsh of Montana in his con-
tention that both parties are faint
ed by the oil scandal and that "oil
will not be an issue in November. "
Walsh voted against the La Toilette
amendment, Robinson said.
Also Against Watson
Inspection of the congressional
record for that day shows that not
only Watson, but Senator Harry
New, now postmaster general, voted
against La Toilette.
Robinson, by inference, charged
Walsh with being partially respon-
sible for the act Of June 4, 1920,
under which the leases were COM
pleted.
Since the bill passed without OBJ
lection from anybody, as Walsh
brought out. Robinsons criticism on
this also would apply equally to
Watson.
Further resumption Of the bitter
debate has been deferred until
Wednesday or Thursday, when
Walsh returns from the funeral of
Senator Ferris of Michigan.
Senator Tydings of Maryland,
who attacked Robinson's political
associations in Indiana so bitterly
Saturday, is also at the funeral.
Replies Briefly
Robinson Saturday answered only
one phase of Tydings' attack-the
statement that, according to Tydings'
information, Governor Jackson,
George v. Coffin and D. c. Stephen
son figured largely in the appoint
ment of Robinson to the Senate.
He said he was Endorsed by an
Overwhelming majority" of the
State Republican committee, who
got Jackson to make the appoint
ment. He then launched into an
enthusiastic eulogy of Indiana.
The suggestion that D. c. Ste
phenson, former Indiana Khan
dragon, forced the appointment of
Senator Robinson was made by
Senator Tydings late Saturday.
Tydings laid bare Robinson's con-
nectionS with the leading figures in
Indiana'S scandals, in a half-hour
speech filled with sarcastic refer
ences to Indiana'S various trials and
indictments. He invited Robinson
to reply, saying that Robinson
should interrupt his researches"
into Governor Smiths administra-
ton in New York State to enlighten
the Senate regarding corruption in
Indiana.
Airs Indiana Mystery
II am told the Senator from In
diana was appointed in circum-
stances which have been somewhat
mystery to Indiana, and which
certainly are mystery to the coun-
try, after his exhibition of the last
few days" Tydings said.
II am told he was appointed after
mysterious midnight conference
between Governor Ed Jackson and
George v. Coffin, a political boss
who has been the Senator's friend
for twenty years. I am further told
and I invite the Senator to en-
tighten the Senate on this point
that shadow and a malign in
f1uence fell upon that conference
from Jail cell twenty-five miles
away, where d. G. Stephenson,
whose name is enough to soil the
lips that utter it. was awaiting trial
for the dastardly crime for which
he is now in penal servitude for
life.
"Once Stephenson was the Re-
publican power in Indiana-or so
am informed-and the leaders of
the Senator's party in that State
fastened to do his bidding. Many
Of them still we're willing to do his
bidding after he was placed in jail
accused of crime whose baseness
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