Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-22

Indignant newspaper comment on the
attempt to besmirch Senators Borah
and Norris through forged documents,
purporting to show that they received
$4,000 each from Soviet Russia, Is
tempered by evident realization that,
however malignant the motive, the
American public regarded the libel
itself as too ridiculous for serious con-
sideration. The congressional report
clearing the names of the Senators
was accepted as foregone conclusion.
Nevertheless there are demands lor
uncovering of the slanderers and the
Louisville Courier-J Journal expresses
widely held opinion in declaring that
"if this commercialized spying, black
listing, defaming mania In America
has reached the stage of foreign trade
in fake documents, 1t is high time for
somebody personally interested to give
it q through scotching." The Canton
Daily News suggests that some day
there will be a real WOLF" and asks,
Then how will the givers Of the alarm
get themselves believed?"
There must be reason" the Chat
tanooga Times thinks, why even so
ill-minded a person as the author or
authors of this libel selected only two
of the scintillating brilliancies of Amer
lean craftsmanship as the victims for
their foul calumny.' If only this rea-
son can be found out and established,
perhaps the identity of the assassins
may be discovered" The San Fran
cisco Chronicle also observes that
there b some public interest in find
ing out who forged these documents
and whether there was more sinister
motive than to mulct some gullible
purchaser"
why were the forgeries prepared"
asks the Milwaukee Journal, adding:
with the thought that some one would
pay for them. The only possible use
could be to attempt to throw temporary
discredit on men who were opposing
somebody's schemes. What Is sug-
gested is an effort, unintelligent and
wide Of the mark, to discredit known
enemies Of exploiters. Framing is an
old way Of trying to get crooked things
past the opposition of honest men,"
"Of all the country's public men,"
according to the Charlotte Observer,
there are probably none about whom
the people would be slower to believe
such accusation. They are party men,
and as such their campaign actions
have not always fitted into their char
acters, but both have long been known
as rocks Of honesty and sincerity in
their handling Of the public's business.
ANY such charge against them Is so
foolish on its face as to merit not even
the consideration which it has re-
ceived." In similar vein the Duluth
Herald pays the tribute to these Sen
ators, "Borah and Norris. by their Wig
orous independence, often make them
selves most annoying to those who adore
regularity, but they are honest, and
fcYN' nh hot
be induced to believe that Offering them
brides would be anything but suicidal
folly"
Fantastic to the height Of folly"
Is the Brooklyn Daily Eagles verdict
on the attack, and it says further of
the attempt Of present holders to sell
''the chief of these papers" to the con-
gressional investigators: THE commit
tee could not, should not and did not
buy them. It has probably light-killed
and destroyed their maleficent value.
It deserves congratulation for having
put a spoke into an ugly business"
1T had been hoped" declares the
Seattle Daily Times, that we were
done with that sorry sort Of business
when the true character of the Mexican
papers was revealed last year. 1t Is
likely that the fraudulent Russian pa
pers would have received no attention
whatever had not Senator Borah and
Senator Norris demanded that the
charges be sifted. The forgeries have
served one useful purpoSe-they have
taught the American people to beware
the slanderous reports concerning public
men. Cupidity or revenge leads I'M
scrupulous persons to undertake such
criminal enterprises. 1t is a human
failing that evil communications are fire.
fnI nk i'm &c
sounder policy to withhold Judgment
until proof Is produced. One wise man
said that calumny would soon starve
and die of itself if nobody took it in
and gave 1t lodging"
Senator Borah. may be eXaSperating
at times to the members of his party"
remarks the Reno Evening Gazette, But
no one ever has questioned his high
mindedness or his integrity. Senator
Norris, joined with him in the accusa-
ton. Is . man Of relatively small means