Back in the days when America was American, United States Senators never had anything to hide. They wore their patriotism proudly and hurled back charges about their Americanism with a haughty toss of white-maned heads.

That is why we are distressed by the orgy of Senatorial cowardice over the weekend. Friday, when Senator Morse suggested that his colleagues include themselves in an FBI loyalty and security check of all Senate employees, he was shouted down. The Senate refused to hold even a roll call vote on the issue.

It is perfectly obvious, to anyone who is not a Communist that any institution that does not wish to be investigated has something to hide. Only the Commics and their Pink pals yelped when the IPR, Voice of America, and other Truman-Acheson-Hiss organizations went under scrutiny. We do not know which Senators are afraid to bare their past affiliations, marital relations, income, hobbies and food habits to a loyalty and security check, but 67 of the 70 solons present opposed Morse. That is a hefty percentage. After all, Congressman Velde has said that even in colleges, only the disloyal oppose his investigations, and they, he says, are less than one per cent. Something smells red in the Senate, and it isn't herring.

Since such reasonable doubt has been raised, it seems incumbent upon the House of Representatives to use its prerogative to investigate its colleagues. If the House Un-American Activities Committee is too busy, the whole House might split up for the task. Congressmen have always been interested in the security of the men holding the Senate seats from their state, so perhaps each state's Congressmen should operate on their own Senators.

By its action, the Senate has shown itself unwilling to cooperate with democracy. In these trying times, when blood is being shed for liberty, there is no room in high places for men who value their private "rights" above their patriotism.