The Washington times., 1917-04-06
Comfort for the Kaiser

From today onward until the war
is ended with the ratification of a
treaty of peace, opposition to the
war will be giving "aid and comfort"
to our "enemies." The opponents of
the war resolution in the Senate and
House have acted within their legal
and constitutional rights. There
were opponents of war in the British
Parliament and even in the cabinet.
But they cancelled the display of
conscientious objection by resigning
their positions. Congressional lead
ers lack the grace of resignation.
From the time when, following re-
newed German outrages, the Presi-
dent called Congress in extra ses-
sion to consider a grave international
question, the issue of peace or war
was not in doubt, except that Ger
man revolution might have changed
that issue. No man mentally fit to
represent State or Congressional
district could have had any doubt
that war would be declared. The
Presidents address to Congress
solidifed the nation in favor of war.
The question before patriotic Sena-
tors and Representatives was hence
forth how best they could serve their
country. No argument for that vice
of small minds, consistency with a
position taken under other cir
cumstances, remained. Conscience
should have dictated, once the major
ity was ascertained to be overwhelm-
ing, the desire. to make the action Of
both House and Senate unanimous.
Yet the Kaiser and the Prussian
Junkerthum generally will note that
the chairman Of the Committee on
Foreign Relations in the Senate
voted against the resolution of war.
The Kaiser is not supposed to
know all that makes Stone of no i'm
portance in American regard. 1t
will be noted with qualification in
Germany that the greater part Of
the Congressional Record in the Sen
ate debate was taken up with the de-
fense of Germany and criticism Of
our main ally in this war, Great
Britain, by a Senator with the
French name of La Toilette.
Today's Record will also show that
fifty members of the House voted
against the resolution. Among them
was the newly elected leader of the
Democratic majority, the Hon.
Claude Kitchin, and the ranking Re-
publican member of the Foreign At
fairs Committee, one Cooper of Wis
consin, while a second member Of
that committee voting and speaking
against war was Shackleford of Mis-
souri,. The Kaiser will doubtless be
greatly reassured at the manifesto
ton of the extraordinary influence
of his faithful German subjects in
Missouri and Wisconsin, as indicated
by the votes both in the House and
Senate.
Nor will he be able to understand
that Kitchin has been a leader who
does not lead. He will not appreciate
the fact that the leader did not in
form his followers of his position
until after he was elected chairman
of the Ways and Means Committee,
charged with the duty Of financing
the war.
Members of House and Senate
sometimes put in their time depre-
eating the power and influence of the
Executive. The spectacle this week
is another illustration that leader
ship has passed from Congress to the
President. So-called leaders in Con-
gress test that question on issues on
which wisdom and patriotism point
but one way, and that way the Presi-
dent has already chosen. The only
satisfactory thing about the humili-
ating record of these last few days
is that these leaders have fatally
crippled their influence in opposi-
tion for the rest of their terms. OF
which they will have abundant evil
dence from the country.