Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-02
Money Creates Employment

Money Creates Employment
The expenditure by the Administration of
approximately $4,000, 100000 as war
starter cannot be accomplished without
greatly augmenting the force of Govern.
ment employees. The War and Navy De-
partments are now so greatly in need of
clerical help to keep up with the new au-
thorizations of Congress that the selection of
persons qualified for the service required has
become a problem. The department must take
on thousands of new men and women. who
must be drilled In new branches of depart
mental work There is still opportunity for
the employment of myriads of new office
holders who will never have anything to
do with active service in the army or navy
II spy bills are passed and such measures
as national prohibition are to be enforced
the Government will take on an untold
number Of agents and Secret Service men
who will figure more or less in the dis
comhture of many citizens. And it is not
to be presumed that those officials who
have the power of appointment will 20 out
of their way to select Republicans for these
jobs. For this reason it is difficult for the
average 'standpatter" who believes in the
ultimate supremacy of the Republican
party to go along with the President" and
say nothing about details. The Republican
perplexity may be readily understood by
quoting an aside from leading Democrat
who was inclined before the war to think
the President was forgetting some of the
Democratic ideals
When we get that $500, 100000 which
the War Department requires for the COM
mencement of operations" he said. "it will
be a long time before you Republicans
come back"
Big Republicans for War
The suggestion that the Democratic party
may not lose ground by reason of the war
is not an idle one Although no one wants
to talk politics at this time, it is apparent
that the Republican party is not so thor
oughly united as it might be. The Demo-
Gratis have troubles of their own and orgi-
nally most Of them were conscientiously
opposed to the war. They have gone along
with the President because they could not
help themselves The cohesive power of
patronage" has had a telling effect upon
the Democrats, and as Mr. Wilson has
with possibilities greater than those that
ever favored any President. the official in
fiuence is likely to continue. There is
little for Republicans to look forward TO
now except the dissensions of Democrats or
such mistakes upon the part of the Presl-
dent and his Administration as will ad-
versely affect the people. Hence the Re-
publican attitude of national LOYALTY in
support of the President to make the war
speedy and successful. The Republicans
who differed about the war before it was
finally declared realize that leading Re-
publcans like Roosevelt and Taft, Root,
Lodge and Hughes had much to do with
bringing the war on and that 1t is nom
partisan, at least so far as they are con-
cerned and should be disposed of promptly
and honorably no matter who is President.
The Tariff Still an Issue
The one great issue left to the Republi.
cans is the tariff From certain quarters
demands have come for a revision of the
| tariff at this special session of Congress
1t is not at all propapie' Ihe Democrats
| who are in control have set their faces
against a general revision and the Republi-
cans are not strong enough to enforce II.
| Republicans cling to this issue, however
| and insist that an upward revision Of the
| tariff must be made sooner or later They
| look with some concern upon the Treasury
| maneuvers to slide few tariff pIanks into
| the war tax bills, but are not generally
| opposed to this reversal by the Democrats l.
| Of their time-worn policy. 1t would take
| several months at least to give adeuuate
hearings to the vast interests that would
be affected by a tariff revision, and both
| sides seem to agree that the unprecedented
changes in trade conditions resulting from
the war would make such hearings ex-
I pedient. As the Democrats now plan 10
adjourn after the war measures have been
| passed tariff revision is unlikely until the
| next regular session. BY that time the
Wilson Tariff Board will doubtless have
formulated some ideas and sugsestions
J, HAMPTON MOORE.