Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-11

The Senate's decision Is awaited II
the controversy between Mrs. Rutl
Hanna Mccormick, candidate for thu
highest congressional honors in Illinois
and Senator Nye, chairman of the com
mittee investigating campaign expenses
Her employment of detectives to seel
information about the committee heaC
has stirred up heated conflict Of opin
ion. While her general charges hav'
been denied, there is some tendency u
condemn both the committee and thu
candidate, though each side has it:
supporters in the resulting debate.
This turning of the tables on Senator
Nye, as 1t WERE" in the opinion OF tho
Chattanooga Times, may mark the be-
ginning of change in the Senate's at
titude toward primary campaigns, which
are purely party affairs conducted under
State laws and with which the Senate
can have nothing to do without stretch
ing its power and its function far be-
yond originally contemplated limits. The
Nye- Mccormick episode is not a digni-
fed beginning for a Senate reform, but
the public will not complain about that
The reforms the thing"
IF debates over differences in po-
litical philosophy are being replaced BY
q contest In the not exactly high-tOneC
art of getting something on the Other
fellow" according to the Baltimore Sun
1T is small wonder that it is increasing
ly difficult to get out the vote" The
New Bedford Standard calls it ''un-
worthy business" and the Oklahoma
City Oklahoman condemns "a spying
contest of doubtful propriety." The
Newark Evening News suggests "a case
Of dog eat dog"
ut marks apparently the end of the
age of chivalry in politics, If there ever
was one" says the Omaha World
Herald, adding: MRS. Mccormick can
be Just as hard boiled as her able and
hard boiled father and political tutor.
I set the detectives on Senator Nye's
trail, she says. What is he going to dc
about it?' And the Senator answers by
issuing subpoenaS for the detectives to
appear before his committee. That's
what I am going to do about it. says
he. And that's only the beginning of
what promises to be most interesting
jouSting."
Senator Nye and his colleagues
shouldn't be angry" advises the South
Bend Tribune. IF thieves and spies have
nOJ Dccu hSSlSlllb IueIH, MIS-, RCCOI-
mick's investigation may disclose that
fact. Perhaps Mrs. Mccormick is their
benefactor."
Clearly Mrs. Mccormick has COM
mitted lese majestic" argues the Seattle
Daily Times, but unhappily for Sen
ator Nye and his committee our codes
make no mention of that offense. There
seems to be nothing to do until the
Senate convenes and opportunity is
presented to make a rip-roaring speech.
The treason act of Edward III gives
as one of the offenses Shaping the
chancellor. treasurer or Kings justices
while administering Justice If Senator
Nye is crafty he might entrap Mrs. Nc
Cormick into committing that act,
which nearly six centuries ago was a
capital offense."
politics as 1t is now being played"
in the view of the Fort Worth Record
Telegram, strongly resembles the age
old game of chess with double check
slipped in between the original check
and 'checkmate.' The need for double
checking is rapidly becoming the para
mount issue of all campaigning.
Viewing the matter critically, the
Asheville Times holds that mo citizen
has e right to institute private in
vestigation into the work of a jury"