The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-07-24
shoulders for more burdens.

shoulders for more burdens.
In the first fervor Of patriotism,
induced by the declaration of war,
politics was eliminated from gov
eminent affairs at Washington.
Congressman and senators, with few
exceptions. forgot to keep one eye
on the fences back home, and center
Cd their attention on the job in
hand, which was to make over n
great peaceful republic into an eff
cient war machine in the shortest
possible time. Mr.. Wilson's dynamic,
self confident, mind thrust new
legislation on congress faster than
it could be assimilated. Bills began
coming up that threatened to
antagonize large masses of voters.
ana Congress began to look around
nervously for an easy way Of es-
cape.
Such bills as the food control bill,
especially with its prohibition
clauses, were looked upon as being
loaded. Congress was caught be-
tween the farmer and the consumer;
between the prohibitionist and the
brewery interests: between big busi-
ness and the voters demanding a
fair deal on prices.
With the. country demanding "ac-
ton instead of talk. and with the
tremendous force of the administra-
ton prodding them, the representa-
tives began the process of passing
the buck. 1t is continuing and
growing, until 'Iet the President de-
eide" is. becoming the solution for
most dangerous. ticklish. or puzzling
problems.
To aggravate the situation, the
Presidents official family consists
of subordinates and not advisers.
Mr.. Wilson is not the type of man
to pass over a department and look
to the head OF 1t only for results.
Mentally he towers over any of his
associates. Those who are in close
touch with affairs at the, White
House, say that the ultimate decision
on any problem of Importance is left
to Mr.. Wilson himself. The Goethals-
Denman dispute is a case in point.
He is in the position of the expert
tuggler who stands on the stage
catching ana returning whirling
knives that are hurled at him by his
assistants. To date he has not
missed, but the country is in the
position of the awe-stricken audi
ence that is momentarily expecting
a slip.
And the audience is not altogether
friendly, by any means. Washing
ton is a nest of disappointed con-
tractors, bitter critics of government
war policies, disgruntled Office seek
ers who sought to offer their serv-
ices to the government for adequate
compensation, disappointed patent
owners. and all the thousands with
special axes to grind. who have
found the grindstone slowed away
beyond their reach.
There are scores, and even hun
dreds of men of big affairs who are
giving their services to the govern
ment. Men Of the type Of H. P.
Dawson are used to giving orders,
not to receiving them. They are ac-
customed to dominating any enter
prise they undertake. The sensation
OF being a subordinate. cannot but
be trying, and President Wilson is
so completely the master of affairs
at Washington, that. there is room
for nothing but subordinates.
Add to this, the restless, critical
mental attitude of the entire Ameri-
can people. and Mr.. Wilson's posi-
ton is far from an enviable one. To
date, the pitiless searchlight Of his
eager critics has not disclosed any
flaws that could be made to appear
vital, ana President Wilson is UNI
doubtedly stronger in the public
confidence today than he was on the
day OF his election, and fully a
million, or perhaps two million
votes stronger than his party.
But the real test is just
beginning. with the beginning Of the
active participation OF America in