The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-10-14


Several times. during the late extra
session Of Congress, J. Ham Lewis.
known as majority party whip in
the Senate, became greatly agitated
because political presence OF mind
was not shown by some Of his col
leagues.
In fact, once during the session he
sent out a reminder of this to Sem
ators who had missed a few days Of
the session. He told them that at
several junctutes in the lengthy dis
cussion of the war revenue bill, there
were times when as many as twenty
Republicans were on deck and when
then there were many less than that
number of their party adversaries.
He made 1t plain that II the Re-
publicans cared to rally round any
political principle at the time they
might easily have done so, and the
Democrats would have been the wiser
tho next day. He urged the Demo-
Gratis to tend to their "p's" and ''q's''
better than that. and said il they
wanted I, "safeguard their party in
terests 1t would be discreet to be on
hand constantly.
Senator Lewis does not expect that
he will have to issue any such, warn
ing during the regular session. He
believes that the party spirit will
be more apparent in his party mates
then and that more attention will
therefore be paid to protecting the
party's fair name.
Not all of the Senators who re-
ceived the Lewis documents were
FASTENED back to their posts by his
message. They felt that J. Ham was
needlessly agitated, and the fact that
the Republicans had repeatedly dis
claimed any partisan motives in any
thing they did during the war ses-
sion precluded any such dire results
as the Illinois Senator feared might
occur when the Democrats were OIL
guard. In fact, some of the Demo-
cratic Senators were brave enough to
dare the Republicans to make any
PARTISAN moves and the Republicans
did not accept the dare the record
shows. Also, many of the leaders in
both hov-es stated time and again
that because their motives might be
wholly misunderstood they would not
endeavor to make any kind of par
tisan moves at all.
The Weeks Party.
No one will begrudge the Republic
ans the opportunity of getting to-
gether for a little partisan chat. The
Democrats expect them to do this
and no harsh words will be parried
with them over 1t. That Is the view
several of the prominent Democrats
take of the Weeks party conference
called for somewhere in Massachu-
setts.''
Though the new national party
threatens to poll large vote at next
years elections the conservative MEM
bers of neither of the large parties
believe that the movement will be-
come SO widespread that it will sweep
either of the parties out Of its way.
1t is granted that the new party
might hold the balance Of power be-
tween them. but as far as exceeding
them in strength it Is not thought that
1t can make a gain sufficient to do so.
If Hiram johnson, the California
Senator, whose State shot heavy grape
and canister into the Republican
Presidential ranks at the last election,
Is not on the list Of Weeks guests. it
is probable that his very good friend.
Senator Philander Knox, will be there
ana that Johnson's party in any ma
tional plan that may be evolved will
be fully recognized. There has been
wonderfully close friendship be-
tween these two leaders ever since
Mr.. Johnson came to the Senate, and
this is expected to thicken as the time
for election draws nearer. The hope
Of some Of the outspoken Republic
ans is that the Pennsylvania Senator
can win the Westerner back to the
Republican premises. The Vote of the
West Is to be reckoned with. the Re-
publican leaders see, and they do not
intend to willfully forfeit it II they
can avoid 1t. They want to make an
attempt to coral 1t, and Mr.. Knox
Is expected to do his part in persuad-
ing Mr.. Johnson to return to the party
OF his fathers.
IN TRaf.