Missourian Colloquy

All things have their endings, even scandals and congressional investigations. Last week, the Senate wrote finis on its investigations of Secretary Fall, of naval oil leases, of all that appertained thereto, filthy or clean.

Before the Senate were two reports. One was a majority report of the Public Lands Committee headed by Senator Walsh, reviewing the evidence taken last year, denouncing Secretary Fall, condemning Secretary Denby for negligence criticising both the manner and the general policy of leasing the Government's reserves to private operators. The other was a minority report signed by five Republicans (Senators .Spencer, Smoot, Stanfield, Cameron, Bursum), which upheld the Harding Administration's policy in regard to the oil reserves vindicated Denby, condemned Fall.

The minority report was voted on first. Senator Spencer undertook to defend it while the Democrats laid down a 'barrage of sarcasm. The vote was 42 for rejection and 28 for acceptance. The Democrats without exception voted for rejection. So also Farmer-Laborite Shipstead. The Republicans voted for acceptance with these exceptions: Insurgents Brookhart and Frazier (LaFollette and (Ladd being absent) ; semi-insurgents Norris and Norbeck who, as members of the committee, signed the majority report; Obstructionist Hiram Johnson; the Independents Couzens and Borah.

A vote was then taken on the more drastic majority report, which was adopted 40 to 30. Notable was the attitude of Senator Couzens who, for some reason, voted against both.

The debate over the reports brought a sharp colloquy:

"I rise to congratulate the State of Missouri upon possessing a representative so amiable and innocent that, like the three Japanese apes, he sees no evil, he hears no evil and he speaks no evil, and consequently is dully qualified to defend all evil--an innocent abroad, in the intellectual and political world, who finds virtue in every act and with unblushing confidence can defend every infamy.

"I recall, moreover, that when the country was startled by the story of Newberry's bribery and corruption, when a shiver of horror went over the land the distinguished Senator from Missouri saw no evil, heard no evil, spoke no evil.

"I recall, how he stood then in the defense of Denby, seeing no evil, hearing no evil, thinking no evil, and yet I recall that Denby was forced from office and yielded his resignation."

Thus spoke James A. Reed, Senator from Missouri. But he was not congratulating his State on having himself for a Senator; he was referring to his Republican (Colleague, Senator Selden Palmer Spencer.

When Mr. Reed had done, Senator Spencer rose:

"I want to make one statement. Somewhere in the Good Book I think it is written that 'when a man speaketh first, his cause seemeth just; then cometh his neighbor and searcheth it.' "

To this Mr. Reed rejoined:

"The Senator is fond of the Scriptures, devoted to the Holy Writ; and let me say to him he reminds me of a passage, as I consider him in connection with his minority criticisms: 'Deal gently, for my sake, with the young man Absalom.'

"Some day we will erect a monument to him that will be of the purest white marble and inscribed on it the legend of the culprits he has defended on the floor of the Senate; and we will proclaim the new doctrine, 'not that there is nothing new under the sun,' but 'there is nothing wrong under the sun.' "