Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-02-17
BREAK PARTY LINES
coNeREssMEN OF MANY MINDS
ON IMPORTANT QUESTION
OF PREPAREDNESS.
OPPOSED BY MANY
Republicans Do Not Think President
Goes Far Enough but Probably viii
Help Pass His Bill Through the
Lower House.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-What is to come out
OF the middle in congress on the sub
1ect of preparedness, which, in a sense,
is the prime legislative issue of today?
Politicians here declare that a pre-
paredness bill will pass both houses
and that in its provisions it will go as
far at least along the lines Of prepare
tion as President Wilson has asked.
In his own party the president has
found many foes of preparedness in
house and senate. In the Republican
party he also has found foes of any
kind Of preparedness and he has found
more foes of the kind of preparedness
that he asks for.
In other words, it appears that most
of the Republicans would like to go
further than the president has asked,
that a few of them do not want to go
as far as he has asked, and that a ma
.jority Of Democrats are willing to go
to the limit of administration sugges-
tion while a minority of Democrats do
mot wish to have any preparation leg
islation at all.
This is the situation as it stands to-
day, but there are elements entering
into it which make for something very
much like chaos. The preparedness
bill which is under consideration in
the senate committee is entirely un
like that which is before the house
committee. In the former the measure
looks to the formation of a continental
army of reserves. while in the house
committee the evident desire is to
build up the National Guard. More
over, the senate seemingly is willing
to go further in the matter of the in
crease Of the standing army than the
house is willing to go.
House May Support Wilson.
Never perhaps in the history Of leg
islation have there been so many vary
ing views within a dominant party as
ito what should be done in a matter Of
great moment and as to how it should
be done. The presidents tour through
the country on speechmaking bent was
undertaken primarily in behalf of his
preparedness measure. His intention,
of course, val to get public opinion
back of him and to make it felt in
congress. When men and women
throughout the country begin to write
letters or to send kilograms to their
senators and Representatives asking
that certain things be done, the effect
sometimes is marked and it is espe-
@cially so if the urgent communications
come in large numbers.
AS has been said, there are some
Republicans who, with a good many
Democrats, do not want any prepared
ness at all. 1t seemingly is likely,
however, that so far as the house is
concerned the majority Of the Repub'
licans will follow the house leader
who recently demanded quick and alb
solute preparedness. 1t looks to the
Washington observers as IL before the
preparedness measure can come to q
vote the Republicans will speak In
behalf Of something stronger than
that which the president has suggest
ed, but that when they find their own
views cannot avail they will Join with
the Democrats in voting for the presi
dents measures. Enough Republicans
therefore, as it looks today, probably
will join with the administration Dem
.ocrats to put through such a bill az
the president has asked.
Later in the session, it is expected
the Republicans will say that the Dem
rocratic preparedness legislation die
not go far enough and that they voted
for it because if they had not Their,
would have been no preparedness a
all. This, of course, can be said b,
the Republicans only If it is shown
on the final vote that a sufficient mum
Der Of Democrats have voted agains
preparedness to have caused its de
feat in case it had not been supported
by Republicans.
Summing the thing up, the division,
in congress over preparedness ar,
sharper and show less regard 70
party lines than they have been Il
connection with any prime matters O
proposed legislation in recent years.
Big Bills That May Pass.
e. Out Of both senate and house toda,
comes the prediction that the shippin,
bill, the child labor bill, the tarif
commission bill and the rural credit,
bill will pass congress at this session
and be signed by the president.
The shipping bill, which was tn,
subject of rancorous and at times al
most riotous debate in the senate las
year, presents itself today in a new
form. Largely it is Mr.. McAdoo'
ihandiwork. Claude Kitchin, the Dem
4ocratic floor leader in the house. ha
bust given his adherence to the meas
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