Evening star., 1938-02-16
Truman Votes Alone.

Harry s. Truman. Missouris Pender-
sast-indorsed junior Senator, alone
voted against Milligan's confirmation
IN the Senate yesterday.
Senator Truman told the Senate he
would not ask it to reject Mr.. Milligan
because his nomination was a per
sonal appointment" Of President
Roosevelt.
However. he sharply assailed Milli-
gan In prepared speech which he had
announced he would make after he
conferred with Mr.. Pendergast here
several days ago.
Senator Truman accused Mr.. Milli-
gan Of entering a conspiracy" with
two violently partisan judges" Albert
L. Reeves and Merrill E. Otis, against
Democrats indicted for vote fraud in
the 1886 general election here. Both
Democrats and Republicans were in
dicted.
Judge Reeves convened the Decem-
Der. 1896. grand jury which launched
the vote-fraud investigation. He and
Judge Otis are trying the cases.
Hitler Stain Tactics"
Senator Truman told the Senate
approval of this district attorney is
an approval of the Hitler Stain tao
tics pursued by the District Court of
Western Missouri"
Judge Reeves, in Kansas City.
termed Senator Truman's address "a
speech OF man nominated by ghost
votes, elected with ghost votes and
whose speech probably was written by
ghost writer's"
Judge Otis said he did mot pro-
pose to engage in a mud-slinging con-
troversy with the Senator"
Mr.. Milligan's only comment was
the Senate vote is my answer"
Missouri's senior Democratic Sem
ator. Bennett Champ Clark, who rec
commended Milligan for both terms.
and Senator Bridges. Republican, of
New Hampshire indorsed the prose-
cutor in brief replies to Senator Tru-
mans criticism.
liz From Vacant Lot.
When the President is right we
should uphold him." Senator Bridges
said. Mr. Milligan has made a great
record in prosecuting some of the worst
frauds ever seen in this country"
The New England Senator said ll2
persons were shown at one time by
Kansas City registration books as resi-
dents of a vacant lot. In some wards,
he said, registrations dropped sharply
after the vote prosecutions.
While Truman explained that he
would not oppose confirmation because
President Roosevelt had named MiIli-
gan as personal appointment" he
added that approval of this district
attorney Is an approval of the Hitler
Stain tactics pursued by the District
Court of Western Missouri"
In single case, Senator Truman
said, Mr.. Milligan received more in
fees than his total annual salary from
the Federal Treasury.
He said Judge Otis and Judge Reeves
were two as violently partisan Judges
as have ever sat on a Federal bench
since the Federalist judges of Jeffer-
ton administration
Says Lawyers Afraid.
These two judges have made it
perfectly plain to Mr. Milligan." he
said. and he has been able to see
eye to eye with them, due to the bank
ruptcy moluments-that convictions
OF Democrats is what they want"
Lawyers. he said, are afraid to de-
lend these persons. and the grand
1uries have been "hand-picked."
Il say to this Senate" Senator Tru-
man shouted. that q jackson County
MO-, Democrat has as much chance
Of fair trial in the Federal District
Court of Western Missouri as a Jew
would have IN Hitler court or a
1rotsky follower before Stalin."