The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-19
AND
HEFLIN HAVE.
BITTER CLASH
u. S. Senate Democratic Lead.
ership at Issue Today as
Result Of Argument
ROBINSON CALLS CAUCUS
Heflin Attacks Roman Cath0.
lie Church, Gov. AL Smith
and Tammany Hall
ROBINSON CALLS CAUCUS

Democratic senate leader, who
yesterday told senator heflin
he was sick and tired Of the
A1abawan's attack on the Cath
OIic church, was given vote Of
confidence and support today
by his Democratic colleagues In
the senate.
Announcement Of the result
WAS made before the conference
broke up by Senator Carawsy
of Arkansas. He said the con.
ference also had given Robinson
. second vote of confidence on
his work as member iof the
special Mexican slush fund
committee. from which commit.
tee Heflin asked yesterday that
the party leader Be removed.
There was but one dissenting
vote. cast by Trammell Of
Florida. Heflin and about .
dozen others Of IS Democrat
senator's were absent. Robinson
and Heflin's Alabama colleague.
Senator Black. did not vote.
Washington, Jan. 19.-(AP)-The
senate Democratic leadership Of Sen
ator Robinson of Arkansas was ut
issue today, forced before . party
caucus by bitter clash between
Robinson and Senator Heflin Of Ala
bama, involving Catholicism.
The caucus was called by Robin
son himself when his leadership was
challenged By the Alabaman after
Heflin had been sharply rebuked by
his chief for his repeated attacks up
on the Roman Catholic church, its
political machine" Governor Al
Smith, and Tammany Hall.
AZ drawn by the two senators in a
eoatsst q nearly three hours before
,1tJ8n6v6 colleagues and spectators
the Issue before the Democrats was
whether they approve the sherman.
ship Of Robinson and his opposition
to Heflin8 anti Catholic TRADES, OF
support Helm.
Hearst ID Criticised
Beginning with Heflin's criticism
Of William Randolph Hearst for his
publication Of the Mexican slush
fund documents, the drama moved
to its startling climax after the Ala
baman had demanded Robinson's re.
moval from the committee which in
vestigated the scandal. Robinson
quickly met that challenge with q
request that the senate vote at once
on the question of his removal, but
Heflin objected.
Heflin had attributed publication
of the purported Mexican documents,
naming him apd three other senators
a. slush fund beneficiaries, to q
Roman Catholic church conspiracy
against him. His demand for Rob-
inson's recall from the committee
followed the latter's declaration,
supported by other committee men,
bers, that the Roman Catholic church
had nothing to do with the docu-
ments.
Heflin's Attack Denounced
Robinson then denounced Heflin's
attack on the Catholic church and
Governor Smith, to which the Ala
baman retorted:
"The senator from Arkansas cam
not remain leader of the Democrats
and fight the Roman Catholics bat
tie every time it Is raised in this
body without somc expression from
the constitutional Democrat"
whenever the senator from Ala
banla can determine who shall be the
leader Of the Democratic party in
the senate Of the United States, .
Robinson replied, s'that party can
get somebody else than myself to
lead it here"
"Well." Heflin countered, "you
have my consent to do that now"
Says Smith Has No Chance
Heflin held the floor for more than
two hours with his criticism Of
Hearst before drawing the fire Of
Robinson when he turned his guns
anew on the Catholics and Governor
Smith. Attacking the "Pope of
Rome and AL Smith," Heflin warned
Democrats not to nominate the New
York governor for president. If
Smith il nominated, he said, "the
Republicans can defeat him with
anybody BY from 15 to 20 million
votes"
During his reply, Senator Robin
son took Hef1in to task for his fire..
quent outbursts against the Cath.
olics and declared that ''he does his
country no service who lights the
torch Or sounds the cry Of religious
intolerance and persecution" He
charged that with peculiarly bad