Evening star., 1917-04-10
Expresses Surprise at Doubt
of His Readiness to Support
Administration Program.
TO ASK CAUCUS TO PASS
ON HIS VOTE FOR PEACE
Ways and Means Committee Repub.
licans Named and Meeting Called
for This Afternoon.

Democratic Leader Kitclin to-
day announced his readiness to
pilot the administration war pro-
gram through the House. He
voted against the war resolution,
and there was some doubt of his
position.
Mr.. kitcllin also announced
that he would give the democratic
caucus an opportunity to decide
if it desired to depose him as
House leader. While a large ma
jority of the democrats disagreed
with his opposition to the war
resolution, the general feeling is
that he voted his conviction and
now that he is willing to take
charge of the war measures he is
not open to attack.
Surprised by Doubt as to Position.
Great surprise was expressed by Mr..
kitchin over any question being raised
as to his being willing to push the war
measures through the House. He never
had any intention of opposing them
once the war resolution passed. he said.
Now that the resolution has passed l
certainly am willing to take charge of
the measures and push them through"
said he. Il cannot understand why it
ever has been intimated that ] would
be unwilling to take charge of the bill.
expressed my Willingness in my ad-
dress to the House and / wish to re-
iterate it now. +-
Belief was general in congressional
circles that all the so-called paciist
factions would join with Mr.. kitchin
in support of the measure. The defee-
tion from democratic ranks on the war
resolution vote generally was credited
in the main to Mr.. Kitchin's opposition.
Republicans to Have Voice.
To avoid or at least reduce opposition
from the republicans. the democrats
declined to call meeting Of the ways
and means committee today to consider
the bond issue program until the re-
publican members were named. Here
tofore the democratic majority always
has drafted revenue raising legislation
and then called in the republican mem
bers of the committee for their ap-
provaI or disapproval. The democrats
will remain in conference with the re-
publicans until they draft bill that
cannot be called partisan in any re-
spect, according to present plans.
Some republicans,feelin that there
has been a tendency to keep material
facts away from Congress as to war
plans, frankly say theirs is a spot
light campaign.
Assurances have been given by demo-
cratic leaders that Congress will OBJ
tain all of the detailed information it
desires regarding the conduct of the
war and they are urging republicans
not to block appropriations by de-
man,ls for unnecessary details. Quick
action is required. they insist, and it
can be accomplished only by every
member taking the highest patriotic
stand.
Despite Mr. Kitchin's announced will
ingness to father the adminstra ton s
war revenue measures as the chairman
Of the ways and means committee, sew
eral of his friends express belief that
he probably will oppose universal mill
tary service and training.
Republican Committee Assignments.
Much surprise was caused todaA by
the republican Cc1ifIlllec OH CofuIlll-
tees nominating Representative Martin
of Louisiana, a progressive protection
ist who voted for the reelection of
Speaker Clark, on the ways and means
committee.
| The other new republican member Of
the committee is Representative Ster-
| ling of Illinois. The old members re-
named are. Eordney Michigan: Gard
| ner, Massachusetts; Moore. Pennsylva-
mia; Green. Iowa; Sloan, Nebraska F.;
Hill, Connecticut: Longworth.. Ohio.
| and G.. w. Fairchild. New York.
| Immediately after the naming of the
republican members arrangements were
completed for meeting of the ways
and means committee late today to con-
| slider the proposed $5,000,000,000 bond
ISSUE Secretary McAdoo and experts
| from the Treasury Department are to
appear in executive session.
A tentative draft of the administra-
ton bill provides not more than three
| billion dollars in bonds for loan to
the allies and two billion more for war
! xnl