Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-19
CONFUSION IN
WASHINGTON
Politics Beginning to Creep Into
War Plans-Both Parties
Guilty
Special Correspondence Evcutng Ledger

/ form or another, and will continue "a
| plague the Administration notwithstanding
the prevailing demonstration Of patriotism.
| Shall Mr. Wilson, who is now classod with
| Washington and Lincoln, be forgiven for
| past Democratic laundering and will he be
excused from criticism for mistakes now
| being made and which are inevitable in the
future? This sort OF questioning is fire.
qucnt In party circles la Washington,
despite the desire Of everybody TO make
the war with Germany success The
week just closing has given play TO more
free talk about political conditions than
We have had since Congress was called
together in extraordinary session. Repub-
licans have wondered whether they are
expected wholly TO forsako party lines
while certain Democrats under Mr.. Will
son, are taking good care Of their fences
in every direction. Debates in both Senate
and House for several days past have
shown sOmo Democratic restessness also,
due to the new military conditions.
The Roosevelt Monkey-Wrench
Tho Roosevelt invasion Of the Admins
tration stronghold has given point % roli'I-
cal gossip this week Tho ease with which
tho departments. under Mr.. Wilson, have
been able 10 secure money for vast OK
penditures and the indcnuitcucss OF many
Of tho lump-sum appropriations giving tre-
mendous cNpcndlng power 10 individuals
have tended 70 chill Republicans who were
expected "to do their Bit" but who felt
they were putting their heads in a moose"
and many Of them, beginning to tire Of the
"Eo-aIong' policy, freely reversed their
action on "the Roosevelt army" question
and supported it against tho wishes Of the
Administration. It Is conceded now that
no more embarrassing situation has arisen
since the second Inauguration Of Mr.. Wilson
than the renewed prominence Of Mr. Roose-
welt The latter has been steadily for war
holding the President up TO criticism when
his course seemed doubtful and prasing
him when he finally came forward with "A
war declaration. The President has heen
advised by the regular army staT but Con-
grcss has so injected tho Roosevelt idea into
tho plans Of the staff as to make It difficult
for the President to decide upon the proper
course to pursue. IIc must recognize the
Colonel and give him a chance to fight
abroad or he must ignore him and bring on
n contest at home. That is the way folk
here now regard IT,
Signs Of Trouble Ahead
The regular army naturally desires to
Keep regular and it has It's own set views
as to tho conduct Of the war The army
officer is highly trained, and having a life
tenure Is not generally susceptible to mo-
litical influence. Therefore, ne gags at the
Roosevelt intrusion. 1t is charged in some
quarters that the regular stan Is doing its
best to load up the army In every branch
with men picked for social and collegiate
reasons The Roosevelt method Of picking
men, though many Of them may come up
to the regular army standard socially and
otherwise, is not popular with the army
Therefore, trouble is brewing and the Prcsi-
dent is likely to be a storm center before
the dispute is ended.
Congress is shedding no tears over tbe
because It has been forced into a
position where II must furnish the army
with money without getting much inrorma-
ll'll Ms 10 WHAT II IS TO ne expended for n
Is admitted that separate FIfstvclt cyDe-
diton would be very costly: hut enough is
also known about the Colonel to satisfy the
public that information as 10 what he docs
or what he spends will not he hidden undcr
a busheL II Is the publicity attached to
the Coonels efforts that ls not entirely
pleasing to the settled policy Of the regular
army.
Is the Presidency at Stake?
So difficult Of solution is the Roosevelt
status at the White House that many
Washingtonians profess to believe that the
presidency itself is at stake Many mem
bcrs Of Congress sincerely believe i'm the
cXpediency Of sending Colonel Roosevelt 10
Europe. They hold that his appearance in
France would be an inspiration. They cite
General Joffre as authority for that belief
few who voted in favor of the Roose- |
welt idea, however. jocularly admitted that
they did so, thinking it would he the end
Of Roosevelt Interference in American pol-
itics. In good humor they suggested that
the Colonel could do his country political
service by remaining in France But the
public underCurrcnt I'm Washington has on
couraged the thought that if the Colonel
should go to Europe, to act the soldier for
two years or more he would come back to !
America in such blaze Of glory as TO |
present an unanswerahle claim TO the |
presidency Of the United States. MANY of
our modern statesmen have been slyly hint
ing that with Wilson a War President
no one else could beat him but Teddy"
When on Wednesday last the Senate con-
ferees finally agreed to the House action
raising the pay Of enlisted men and carry
ing the Roosevelt provision into law. this
feeling was intensified
Checking Up Our Finances
The $500, 100000 war tax bill with
which the House has wrestled and CONCERN
ing which the Secretary Of the Treasury has
a desire for more" because II
now develops that $500, 600 900 will NOT he
sufficient to meet immediate needs. has pro-
voled discussion on both sides of the Cant
tol. This indicates that the country is be-
ginning to realize what war taxes mean
In several, of the House arguments il was
even suggested that il business was 10 he
destroyed by taxation" il would have been
better not to begin the war. Pleas for the
consumer, who will surely be reached nv
the tax, were general and earnest sugges-
tions were advanced that the rich and moor
should stand together IN support of the
The argument was never
and sometimes so critical as
to forebode disaster to the bill. Taken with
McAdoO's declared intention of
touring the West to stir up interest I'm the
Liberty Loan" the future now seems 10
hold no promise of popular groundsweu
for increased expenditures And vet n Is |
freely predicted that a new tax hin viii
be forthcoming in December AnnarantI,, a. |