Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1919 — HARMONY DISTURBED [ARTICLE]

HARMONY DISTURBED

There seems to be a slight rift in the lute of Republican harmony in congress. Judging from recent •debate in the house and senate, there exist in both branches differ--nances of opinion among the leaders as to policies and as to the adaptation of them. At the beginning of this congress, •when the Republicans took over 'control of house and senate and assumed responsibility for legislation, they announced specific policies upon which there was concord and ■(declared these policies would be carried into effect. Chief among them was economy in public expenditures, a promise which called forth applause from the entire country. Retrenchment was to be «the watchword; the public treasury was to be protected; war expenses ■were to be reduced. The house committees on military affairs and naval affairs in framing the appropriations for the army and navy made reductions far below the estimates of the departments and gave promise that the policy of economy would be carried into effect most satisfactorily. But when these bills reached the senate hundreds of millions in ■appropriations were added to them, thus very materially weakening the Republican claim of economy. And in conference agreements were reached with respect to them which left the perfected bills lower in their totals than fixed by the senate, but many millions greater than the house had voted. Consequently the conference reports were opposed by Floor Leader .Mondell and the house witnessed "the spectacle of the Republican party in congress very spiritedly «divided ‘on the question of war appropriations, with the party leader in open criticism of the work of ’two of the principle committees. ’This lack ,of harmony was the aource of great alee for the Democrats, whose dhrided ranks in the previous cong/ess had been the

theme of frequent and caustic comment by Republicans. In the senate a similar situation developed when the conference report on the sundry civil bill was under consideration. The conferees had eliminated a $20,000 appropriation to pay the expense of an investigation into the budget system with a view to the adoption of this system by congress, another of the policies to which the Republicans had plighted their troth. Senator Kenyon of lowa, one of the militant liberal Republicans, took occasion to criticize this omission very pointedly and to call attention to the solemn pledge which had been ignored. He referred to the “submarining” of this movement for a budget system by the Old Guard, and intimated it would be better frankly to state to the public that the party had no Intention of carrying out its pledge. These and numerous other incidents cropping out in the course of debate indicate a lack of complete unity of purpose among Republicans which 'may eventually have an important bearing upon the forthcoming presidential campaign. For if the representatives of the party in congress are unable to present a united front on policies and fail to agree upon putting these policies into effect, what chance has the party of securing the unity in the campaign so necessary to its success? _ It is too early to talk of candidates, but it is certain that the Democratic party will enter the next campaign with a keen determination to win, whoever the standard bearer may be, and with the successful prosecution of the war as their rallying cry. To wrest control from them the Republicans must have a united party, with all factions and shades of opinion fused, harmonious as to purposes and ideals, and prepared to give a demonstration of teamwork such as they have not shown since the memorable revolution of 1912. The family squabbles now going on are not conducive to that condition.— Washington Post, July 6.

THE PEOPLE HAVE RATIFIED Since there remain in the United States senate and elsewhere some Republicans who feign to scorn assertions that a vast majority of the American people want immediate and unconditional ratification of the league of nations, it may be both interesting and instructive to appraise sentiment in the ranks of the Republican party. It is not unfair or ungenerous to say that the practical Mr. Hays, chairman of the Republican national committee, would not hesitate for an instant to make the league a partisan issue if he felt that Republicans as a whole would second him. But Mr. Taft, who is unquestionably the chief figure in the Republican party, has denounced every attempt to make the league anything but a question of America’s obligation to obtain and injure peace. Former Attorney-General Wickersham and former Senator Burton take the same position. The rostpr of Republicans who share theij; views contains - many names

equally Illustrious. Republicans newspapers of great influence and wide circulation are flgirting for the league and condemning those who would entangle >lt with partisan politics. The Republicans of the senate, where most of the objections to the league are heard, are by no means a unit in their attitude toward the league. Senators Kenyon, McGumber and McNary are counted among the league’s supporters. Other Republican senators who are among its opponents can come to no agreement as to the basis of their opposition. Lastly, the Republican national committee itself la a composite of factions on the big question. While Mr. Hays is saying it is not a partisan issue, the publications for whose dissemination his organization is paying are fighting the league with propaganda of distinct Republican flavor and obviously to gain votes against it. No, the league is not a partisan matter. The American people have heard and heeded President Wilson's request that it be kept out of politics. The league has already been ratified by the people. It remains now for the senate to give formal expression to that ratification.