Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-20
IS THIS FAIR PLAY?

It is regrettable that party politics
has been injected into the delibera-
tions Of congress at this time, and 1t
is well that proper record be made to
fix the responsibility for what probably
is one of the major reasons for the
difficulty that the administration has
encountered in gaining a favorable
vote on the Lever bill for food control.
Before the United States entered the
war formally it was agreed in congress
that the differences as between par
ties, which had been the basis for
alignment for decades, should be eff
faced in a common effort to support
the president and his war policies.
This was entirely proper. Newspapers,
public speakers, local committees haV-
ing to do with war problems and the
general pubic adopted the plan. and
the result has been that party names
have been printed and mentioned but
little in America during the past three
months.
The republicans, on the whole, have
remained true to their resolve. They
have voted for administration measure
after measure; they have given the
president and the cabinet great power
and have yielded many Of the preroga-
tives of the legislative branch OF the
government in conscientious and
laudable effort to stand behind the
president"
They are continuing in that attitude,
as was shown only last Saturday when
the house voted unanimously and with
out a roll call appropriating S64O,O0O-
"a ~
cordance with bill which ties no
strings to the money but leaves the ad-
ministration free to spend ii as 1t may
see fit for the rapid equipment OF
huge air fleet.
But there are growing indications
that the majority in congress has not
seen fit to play fairly. Blame does not
attach to the president, but to the
southern Office holders and the north
ern democrats who apparently are dis
posed to take advantage OF the
natriotic attitude of the republicans.
Before the Lever bill came before
congress- the revival Of partisanship
was less noticeable than 1t has been
since that time, although there were
numerous instances during the debate
on the war tax which indicated that
the democrats were inclined to favor
the solid south.
Rut when the Lever bills advocates
in the dominant party attempted TO
amend and extend the scope or the
measure to cover products used IN
manufacturing, 1t was noticeaple tnat
they omitted cotton from their caIcuia-
tions. And the fight that ensued wnen
the republicans insisted on Including
the south's staple agricultural product
went far to tie the Lever bill into a
knot which only the president mas
shown ability to unite.
Then the civil service provisions
were removed from the bill, and this
drew the fire Of republican senators
who had remained silent on the ques'
ton of party alignment under multi
nlied proyocation. Senator Lodge call
ed attention to the opportunity THIS
move would give for political prefer
ment and Senator Penrose waxed sar'
castle when he said:
Another very wonderful oppor-
tunity that will be afforded, In ad-
dition to giving sinecures to de-
serving democrats who show far
mers where to sell potatoes or in
what back yard to raise wheat,
will be to permit escape from con.
scription so that our armies Will
be filled with republicans from
Pennsylvania and other northern
states. while deserving democrats
will he serving their country IN
the AGRICULTURAL districts instruct
ing the farmers. thoroughly out
side the danger zone.
Now comes the charge that the CEN
sus figures, on which was based tho
d;str,bution Of the call for men under
the provisions Of the draft law, dis.
criminate against the northern ana
"a stern states in favor Of the south.
This, it was charged in the senate yes
terday. was done by the simple opera
ton of adding more generously to the
1910 official census figures for the nor
ma,lv republican states than for those
of the south.
IF this charge ia unfounded IT Is due
both democratic and republican parties
that II be disproved. II it is based on
fact II should mark the end OF par
,jsanship which is disgraceful and dis
loyal.
THE GERMAN HOPE.
~