THE CUSTOMARY MUDSLINGING

Aside from any considerations of national defense or possible fraudulent handling of public property, the "Teapot Dome" scandal has assumed almost a purely political aspect. It happens that the Navy Department has lost nothing from the standpoint of national defense; it may turn out that the graft which the layman has come to expect in public administration was even less malignant than usual. But the affair has been an excuse for setting off all the fireworks of party animosity, of corrosive personal attacks and of bitter Congressional suspicion.

The "scandal" is nothing less than a God-send for the Democratic party and for Hiram Johnson, both of whom have lost no time in spreading so black a smoke-screen over the whole proceeding that little can be discerned of the true nature of the transactions. Very probably what blame exists can be attached to the Republican party, although it appears that Mr. Josephus Daniels and others had a finger in the "Teapot" at one time; perhaps some of the blame can even be hung on President Coolidge, on the theory that the chief is responsible for all of the acts of his subordinates. But none of this justifies the statement of Mr. Johnson that the President is "through", so far as a renomination is concerned, or the charges of the Democrats--not entirely new or original,--that the Republican party is a party of corruption. Possibly it is a party of corruption, but the defection of several individuals certainly is not adequate proof.

Where there is a reasonable amount of smoke, there is probably some fire; but where there is a smoke-screen, the cause may be quite different. At any rate, the only sensible course is to investigate everything and arrive at the truth; if the facts then show that the Republicans are an iniquitous lot of tricksters and grafters--three cheers for the Democrats and may their tribe increase. But these offhand condemnations, supported by half-baked evidence and incomplete testimony show only too clearly the present state of our political parties, each of which is too weak to stand on its own merits, without defaming and vilifying the other.