The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-20
The Shumaker Pardon


Once again, as election nears, the liberty
of Rev. E. S. Shumaker, head OF the Anti
Saloon League, becomes a matter of discussion
and comment.
This time his friends confer with Governor
Ed jackson, whose sympathetic attitudes to-
ward those who stand in shadows of prisons
can be understood, and discuss the steps nee.
essary to secure pardon for the dry leader,
now under sentence for contempt of the SUI
preme Court.
That the sentence is delayed until appeals
to the United States Supreme Court can be
perfected might interfere somewhat with the
granting of clemency but it does not ap-
parently, interfere with negotiations with
the Governor looking to set aside the decree OF
the Judges, who declared that Shumaker had
endeavored to overthrow law and orderly
processes by destroying the highest court IN
the State.
This newspaper could never accept the
viewpoint Of the court that the criticisms by
Shumaker, false as they were pronounced to
be by six outstanding attorneys of the State
were punishable by the summary method
adopted by the court. 1t believed that the
right Of free speech was more important, even
if abused and that there were other remedies
than contempt proceedings:
But on the additional charge fled against
Shumaker it believed that he should have
been punished and with him the two United
States Senators, who countenanced his effort
to use political pressure and threats to IN
fuence justice.
1t will be remembered that just two years
and one month ago, Shumaker went, accord
ing to the evidence, to the home Of Senator
Arthur Robinson and outlined his then immi-
nent danger of being jailed and proceeded, to
use his political power to relieve himself
It was Senator Robinson who telephoned
to the summer home Of Senator Watson and
then placed Shumaker on the line to discuss
means and methods Of forcing the court to act
Immediately, in the Shumaker hope that the
super-government he had created would pro-
duce a favorable decision if it were rendered
in advance Of an election.
It will be remembered too, that the then
chairman of the Republican committee, now at
Leavenworth prison, testified that Shumaker
had appealed to him to interfere with the court
and that Shumaker had held out the threat OF
using not only his own dry league, but one I'M
portant church denomination to defeat the
Republican ticket as means of reprlsal.
There was, too, in the testimony the state
ment by Senator Watson that his colleague,
Robinson, had come to him in Washington and
urged him to "work in his own way to keep
Shumaker out of jail.
This attack on the dignity Of the court and
on it's efficiency is such as should make any
Governor hesitate to give pardon and GER
tainly should raise question Of the equal dig
nitv Of courts and executives if one is at
tempted.
There is vast difference between standing
gravely for the right Of free speech and
sneaking away from punishment for attempt
ing to coerce court.
The people should also remember the part
played by Senator Robinson in this significant
and menacing episode.
The people have their chance to relieve
themselves of one Senator whose view OF his
own Office is such as to permit him to interfere
with other portions Of the government.