The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-17
When Arthur Comes Home

Announcement that Senator Arthur Robin
son will come back to Indiana for few days
before the primary should be more than well
come to those citizens of the State who believe
that "cleaning house" should include his re-
tirement to private life.
1t is inconceivable that the very earnest
and sincere men and women who have long
been fooled by Robinson's dry speeches can
be further misled if he appears to defend his
record.
Many things have happened since Robinson
ran two years ago and the men and women who
have accepted the label for the truth will un-
doubtedly demand some explanation.
The black boxes of Stephenson have been
opened His friend and hacker George Coffin
has been indicted. The man who named him
to the Senate has escaped the penitentiary by
pleading the statute of limitations
Two years ago Robinson boldly declared
that all his relationships with Stephenson had
been those of lawyer and client in civil case.
He denied that he was ever on any close terms
of intimate friendship.
1t now appears that this statement was quite
as reckless and unfounded as some of the
statements he has made on the Senate floor
which he has been compelled to retract.
The voters surely will wish to know all
about the pearl necklace and it's value. The
voters have a right to know this, in view Of
Robinson's repeated declarations of his denials
of any friendship for Stephenson.
For in the black boxes was letter of thanks
for the necklace, sent as Christmas present at
a time when Stephenson was rolling in money
and was not known as patron of the ten-cent
stores when he purchased jewery.
The records Of the Supreme Court now have
the evidence that Robinson was acting as a
telephone operator for DR. Shumaker, head of
the Anti-Saoon League, and that may indi-
cate that the dry leaders, judgment on Rob
inson is to some extent prejudiced by these per-
sonal services.
Of more significance than his dry speeches
are the records Of the Supreme Court and GER
tainly the sincere prohibitionists will want to
know why the law firm of which Robinson is
a member has more bootleg clients in the high
est court than any other firm in Indiana.
Perhaps voters who believe in prohibition
will see nothing homogeneous in dry leader
playing the dual role of defender of the boot
logger when he happens to be caught. And
again, they may
If Robinson is silent on these things when
he returns, discriminating voters can readily
draw their own conclusions.
They will have an opportunity of seeing
his companions and judging him by the
''birds'' with whom he focks. They will have
a chance to see whether he still stands with
Boss Coffin whose trial for conspiracy to bride
former Governor McCray is now on the court
calendar for early in May.
They will have chance to Judge him by
the standard he set up for himself when he de-
clared on the Senate floor that "Birds of a
feather flock together"
They will remember Coffin and Stephenson
and Coffin and Ora Davies, his campaign man
ager of two years ago, who is now under in
dictment and who in 1924 acted as escort for
Stephenson.
Only those who fail to discriminate between
brazenness and courage will admire the
temerity of Robinson in daring to return to
the State as a candidate.
And the Nation will, to a large degree
judge the sincerity Of Indiana Republicans in
their protests Of virtue and desire to clean
house by their vote on Robinson