OCR Text |
Show SUTHERLAND TOO PARTISAN. Our Senator Sutherland, as one of tho committee to pass upon the charges made against Secretary Ballinger, displays too much one-sided opinion, even prejudice, to be a fair judge in the inves-, inves-, tigation which has held the attention of the country since the day Gifford Pinchot, by his resignation, forced the administration to take cognizance of the scandal involving a member of the- cabinet. During the cross-examination of Secretary Ballinger last Friday, Fri-day, Senator Sutherland rushed to the support of the secretary. The Associated Press report of the occurrence is as follows: Senator Sutherland was the next member of the committee com-mittee to protest against Brandois' methods of cross-examination. He objected when the attorney asked the witness if it were not a fact that of the four pages of the record devoted to the president's letter exonerating him, only, half dealt with the Olavis charges. He thought the matter irrelevant, and slamming a copy of the record on the table before him, declared heatedly heated-ly that he did not think the lawyer should waste any more of the committee's time. Mr. James (Dem.) objected to members of tho committee com-mittee interrupting counsel every few minutes. "11 take the liberty of interrupting counsel whenever I choose," retorted Senator Sutherland, "I'll take the liberty of interrupting members when thoy interrupt counsel whenever I choose," returned Mr. James. . "I know you will." 'I certainly will." It would have been more in accord with the dignity of his position posi-tion on the committee had Senator Sutherland refrained from entering enter-ing into the clash between .Secretary Ballinger and Attorney Bran-deis. Bran-deis. The cabinet officer is ably represented by a lawyer of national prominence who is capable of retaliating on Mr. Brandeis every time that gentleman oversteps the bounds of procedure as defined by the rules of the investigation, and members of the committee should hesitate hesi-tate to become partisans or do anything beyond presiding as would a judge. |