Evening star., 1928-02-08
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

Coal. oil and power are the head
| liners in the frenzy Of investigation
which Is now cngulflng the Senate.
| But these three Investigations. large as
| they are. are only part Of the picture
| There are now pending. and backed oy
real pressure In varying degree. reso-
| lutions seeking Senate investigation OF
| the movies. the telephone companies.
the Diplomatic service. Indian affairs
and Nicaragua. The Reed slush fund
investigating committee has secured
new lease of life and the Hearst Mex
lean documents committee Is still delv-
ing into the origins OF the forgerles,
Investigation of the S-4 disaster oy
special congressional! committee mas
been demanded by the Senate. Inc
ware Wilson election contest and It's
attendant Investigation of Pennsylvania
politics is in full swing "All in all.
the Senate has Its hands fun. says
the frec-speaking George Moses. SEN
ator from New Hampshire, In sarcastic
vein "As n grand Jury. the Senate
prepares the indictments; as prose.
cu,ors. IL presents its case: as Jury. y,
brings in Its verdict. and rs 1uass' u
prorounces sentence and then, II there
bc an appeal, II disposcs o! that 100
The Sinclair Burns contempt case in
the local courts. now In Its ninth week
With the end not yet In sight, Auoros
some indication Of what may happen
~ Col Robert W. Stewart. recalcitrant
ri, witness succeeds In his efforts 10
transfer from the forum Of the senate
,o the courts the question OF wne!neT
or no, he ought TO so to Jail for reius-
inr IN answer questions propoundco oy
tbs Walsh committee. Although the
sinclair. Burns case presented what
seemed to be a very simple issue, tes.
,inonv md argument at the rate OF
As 600 words per day has oeen golAs
INTO the record for two months ana
the defense Is barely started ana mas
scores OF witnesses reaay, Ine SS.o
crsnhic record alone Is costing the
Coyernrcnt more than $3.50 per osv
and 90 date comprises l,eoo 600 words.
covering more than 5000 pages The
rnst Of the record Is minor Item.
hnveyer The Government kept TWO
doyen Burns detectives. the entire jury
NJ the pr,or trial and many other per-
xons under witness subpoena III oaIis
attendance for weeks Thousands OF
dollars we're paid out in witness ices
and for subsistence and travel, Inc
defense has Is lawyers giving oauS
battle.
'rh, repor, which has cropped up
several times recently that William NJ
p,tler. chairman OF the Republican ma
ttnnal committee. intended 20 felih~
au!sh his membership on the cosnm'ttee
and to retire entirely from politics attef
IN, june convention, Is denied by Mr'
Hltier's close friends and associates III
Washington. who say they have his en-
nhntic assurances that all such reports
are uniounded. Hc will retire from MS
commanding post after the convention
10 Give way to new chairman peNeN
ny The nominee. but he proposes w CON,
tinue in the committee ranks ana
councils and as titular political leader
In Massachusetts,
The World Court resolution offered In
tho Senate Monday by Senator freSlef-
TEX H. Oillett VI Massachusetts sur-
rrised his party associates and Was cat
rulated IL be bit embarrassing Ia
tho friends III Secretary Hoover, WITHIN
Whose Number 0iile,t himself Is In
cluded The Hoover board VI strategy
nas nu desire 10 see \ World Court dts
cushion proiected into the political pic
tufc at this time IN the wntds cI the
Two Black Crows," why Mtns THAI
upp" o,ileu Is sometimes setefred 10
IA u saena,e spokesman for the White
ilouse. tie Is perfectly sincere In MS
own talth that II may vet be rt,ss'hle
for the United States 10 obtain member"
ship In the Court without any motiitiea'
ton In the reservations which the Sen-
ate Imposed This Ia sNs third time In
the space of two weeks that the HAY
state Senator has sprung n surprise, tie
declared whole -heastedly tW Hoover
Tor tho Republican, nomination at the
very moment that all the other MAssa
ehuse,ts Republican leaders were shout
lng Tor an unrseigea and nensta, eoa'
vention deieaation Ulllet, followed this
up With an outspoSer declaration Ter
Misses for Vie President, In the face
NJ the tacit arrangement III his home
state for all handa Ia get hehlnd 0av,
fuller lof Seoand place on the ticket
tle athted thinas np ~ home, anu nt,w
he has stirred th.nss up IN Washington
y
As indicative Vt the present temper et
tha senate an the Weiid Court sueleet.