Imperial Valley press., 1913-12-23
SAYS Root Took
Lesson of Films
By Congressman c. H. Tavenner

By Congressman c. HI. Tavenner
Washington, Dec. 23.-The "mov-
les" are showing the way to certain
politicians now in the public eye.
I When the producer of a moving pic
ture film wants to create the illusion
of a fierce fire he uses what is known
in the profession as a smoke bomb.
The smoke bomb produces vast vol
ume of vapor which gives the effect
of the real thing to the moving PIC
ture audiences. But the smoke bomb
is perfectly safe. There is very little
| fire or heat about it. 1t could be used
| in a powder magazine without damage
/ to the scenery.
/ Consequently when a dense volume
/ of smoke was seen issuing from the
! senate chamber the other day some
amateur firemen traced it to its
source. Senator Elihu Root was max
! ing his recent memorable attack on
the administration currency bill. The
Illusion was perfect to those not be-
hind the scenes. The flame of his
attack seemed hot and withering. But
those on the inside saw no fire nor
felt the heat of any.
Mr.. Root viewed with alarm the
1 BrNanlSm Ill tie ~
/ showed the certainty of currency IN
! flation to come from the operation OF
the law, the inevitable ruin and de-
struction to follow the enactment OF
/ the measure. The currency debate is
dry. The telegraph carries but
smattering of it each day. And so
to those viewing the picture from I'm
front" the illusion of conflagratlon
was perfect. But those in Washing
ton have heard Mr.. Roots arguments
/ score of times during the present
debate. In fact, it is the stock argu-
ment of the bills Republican oppon-
ents who know more politics than cur
rency. The moving picture comedian
can always get laugh by pulling
a tumble, and the average Republican
orators stock in trade nowadays is
to point to the Organism" in the ad-
ministration's legislation.
This same attack and argument
was heard more than once in the house
debate on the bill. 1t was threshed
out in the hearings before both the
house and the senate committees
which acted on the currency bill. And
great many wise and patriotic men
agreed that the danger of currency
initiation has been safeguarded in the
pending measure as well as 1t IS pos
sible to safeguard it in any bill de-
signed to make currency elastic.
There was a concert and smoothness
of operation about the circumstances
of Roots speech that suggested the
hidden hand of a stage manager pull
! ing the proper strings. Better and
more thoughtful speeches than Sen
ator Roots have been delivered In op-
position to the bill. yet very little has
| been printed about them. Senator
Burton's speech was far superior, yet
the news distributing services gave it
but perfunctory notice.
Yet suddenly appears the senator
from New York and emits some po-
litical smoke, and suddenly the heav-
ems are split The telegraph news
associations boom great guns about
I it, the echoes reverberating from the
! Atlantic surf to the Pacific pillows.
simultaneously there is given out a
tvpewritten INTERVIEW" carefully
phrased. solemnly nominating Root
/ for president. And no mention is
made of the fact that Senator Pom
creme on that same afternoon arose
and answered, thoughtfully and con-
clusively, the entire Root eruption.
No, good people, what you saw was
an illusion produced by big business
as a final effort to keep the precious
banking reserves in Wall street in
stead of scattering them for the use
of the people. Fortunately, Demo
cratic economic principles are to be
tried now not by oratory but by ac-
tual practice. And no more fortunate
thing for Democracy could happen
than the nomination of Root for pres
ident on the Republican ticket.