Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-11
Not a Time for Partisanship.

Not a Time for Partisanship.
THIS Is TINE when there should be
Absolutely no partsanship in National
affairs We should all be Americans
and should all support the President
whether we voted for Woodrow Wilson
for that Office last November or not But
the Administration and Congress cannot
expect the people 70 be non partisan II
they do not set us the example and there
Is very painful evidence at Washington
that when IT comes to honOrs and patrcn-
age the lines are being drawn with all tfe
plums on the Democratic side OF the de-
marcation. ana all the votes and work on
the Republican
In striking contrast to the Democrats
who are holding the commttfe chairman
ships. Il is the Republicans VINO nave up
held the hands OF Wilson. while the Dem
ocrats have been his opponents from the
Speak er down. That being true the adj
mnistration should not allow itself TO he
outdone in loyalty by the opposition. 1t
should be as non-partisan as the Repuh-
licans have proven themselves.
We do not mean-thougn that
OF course would he the wisest plan-tnat
the Cabinet should he reformed on a non
partisan basis. but we do mean that on
all public occasions, and in.the formation
Of committees and commssions under the
powers given the President for war pur-
poses he should forget partisanship and
choose only the best men. He seems TO
have reached that conclusion in the
mission and We trust that he will use his
influence to set aside any craftsmanship
that the petty politicians in and out OF
Congress are exhibiting with no credit 70
themselves or the natlon-HumDoiGl
oCaL) Standard.
The selection Of former Secretary
Root for the Russian mission has
proven the wisest act OF the admin
istration. The biggest men Of all
parties and all nations declare it, We
believe that Colonel Roosevelt could
have been used with as great wisdom
and effect in the world conflict.
The Republicans in Congress have
done themselves great credit by the
manner In which they have disregard
ed partisanship in support of every
measure tending to strengthen the ad-
ministration in the conduct of the war
Not every measure has been passed in
the form requested. it is true. In fact,
most Of the important bills nave been
freely discussed and amended, with
manifest improvement as a conse-
quence. Ey debating and perfecting
the measures. Congress has helped
rather than hindered the administra-
ton in the ultimate winning of the
war.
The one piece Of legislation for which
the administration made the most per-
sistent fight was the so-called spy hill
which would give-the bureaucrats al
most absolute power over free speech
and free press. Undoubtedly the en-
sctment OF that law in the form de-
sired would remove many unpleasant
features from the MANAGEMENT of the
war. but it would hinder rather than
hasten victory. With the censorship
powers established. we should have had
no exposure Of the slaughter of nurses
On American ships by defective Amer
lean shells. There would be no dis
oussion of Standardization of NUM-
tons and guns with view to securing
interchangability. There would be no
exposure and no danger of exposure Of
neglect in providing healthful shelter
and food for the soldiers There would
ne complete bar to disclosure of
favoritism. sectiona lism. and bad judg-
ment In the letting Of contracts. With
law on the statute books suppressing
publicity. there would be encourage
mert of carelessness or fraud Neither
oarelessness nor fraud can win or help
win this war
When 1t was proposed in the Senate
10 ask the War Department for in
formation regarding the sizes Of guns
and shells used. defenders of the ad-
ministration protested that this would
be jeopardizing our interests by giving
Information TO the enemy. Nothing
could he further from the fact If
Germany wants to know what size
shells we use, she has already gained
the information. But that information
would be useless to her. for our shells
would not At her guns and she has no
means OF getting possession Of them
until they are delivered from the muz-
zles Of our guns. When Republican
senator asked for information regard
ing the interchangability Of American
munitions he rendered distinct public