The Cabinet

It was reported from Washington that Attorney General Daugherty looked worn and tired. If so, his fatigue may well have been caused by the repeated reports in the daily press that he was about to resign--"tomorrow," "within 48 hours," etc. For the first week, at least, the reports were unfounded. It was even declared positively that the President had asked for Mr. Daugherty's resignation. If so, he was slow in tendering it. After a conference with the President, the Attorney General departed on a "mysterious" trip to Chicago. He attended the final sessions of the grand jury which indicted Charles R. Forbes, former Director of the Veterans' Bureau, for fraud.

All week there was a resolution pending in the Senate to investigate Mr. Daugherty's conduct of the Veterans' Bureau (TIME, Mar. 3). Mr. Daugherty had specifically invited an investigation. While still in Chicago, anticipating that an investigation would be authorized, Mr. Daugherty appointed ex-Senator George E. Chamberlain of Oregon and Paul Rowland of Cleveland to defend him. Said he:

"They will give such attention as may be necessary in my personal behalf so that the regular force of the Department and I may continue to give our attention to the Government business."

Meanwhile, the Senate was enjoying much discourse on the subject of passing the resolution authorizing the investigation. The resolution had been offered by Senator Burton K. Wheeler, Democrat from Montana who in his resolution attempted to name the investigating committee. This was objected to as a breach of the tradition by which the President of the Senate usually names such bodies. Charges flew back and forth --that Senator Wheeler was trying to pack the committee with opponents of the Attorney General, that the regular Republicans were preparing a whitewashing committee to be named by the President of the Senate.

In the debate Senators Willis and Fess, Republicans of Ohio, were the only outspoken defenders of Mr. Daugherty, although Senator Bruce, Democrat of Maryland, attempted to restrain the ardor of the Democrats and radicals who cried loudest for the investigation. Mr. Fess exclaimed: "It strikes me that the Senate is reaching rather a low level. I hope this is not a school of scandal."

In the course of the struggle, the preamble, containing much objurgation, was stricken from the resolution and the word "alleged" was inserted before the charges to be investigated. A compromise was reached whereby the investigating committee was to be elected by the Senate.

With these changes, the resolution was passed 66 -- 1, the only adverse vote being cast by Senator Davis Elkins, Republican of West Virginia, who, it is known, does not intend to stand for reelection. The resolution:

Resolved, that a committee of five Senators, consisting of three members of the majority and two of the minority, he authorized and directed to investigate circumstances and facts, and report the same to the Senate, concerning the alleged failure of Harry M. Daugherty, Attorney General of the United States, to prosecute properly violators of the Sherman anti-trust act and the Clayton act against monopolies and unlawful restraint of trade; the alleged neglect and failure of the said Harry M. Daugherty, Attorney General of the United States, to arrest and prosecute Albert B. Fall, Harry F. Sinclair, E. L. Doheny, C. R. Forbes and their co-conspirators in defrauding the Government, as well as the alleged neglect and failure of the said Attorney General to arrest and prosecute many others for violations of the Federal statutes, etc.

The committee elected was: Republicans--Brookhart (Chairman), Moses, Jones (Wash.) ; Democrats--Wheeler, Ashurst.