South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-25
BY JOHN HENRY zUvER
EdItor Ihe Ncws-Tlmes.


assault on the cOngressman's war
record
That this seIf-assumcd piety
mOnopOIist should b. able 20 salye
its absent cOnsCicncc-sChcduIi
the congrcSsman's votes "a crimes,
while angcling local republican can
didates for the legislature. on the
theory that they will. and should,
ratify these crimcs,-is not difficult
To- understand
II is the same brand Of conscience
les partisanship. that enabled II for
years TO beratc democrats I'm our city
government for their onenscs against
public dcccncy, and law enforce
mcnt, similar TO those that Il now
COndOncs and glOrifes I'm republicans
occupying the same pOs1ions.-but
tO return To- the assault on Congress
man Barnhart.
TAKE the Kahn amendment to
the first cOnsCriptiOR law. The
republican half-truth being dlstrib-
utcd about this measure. as con-
demnlng Congressman Barnhart's
vote against IL, Is worse than whole
falsehOOd. This Is their words:
In the hrst session Of the 65th con
gress, when the cOnscFtption bill was
before the house the test vote which
the Kahn amendment striking
out the volunteer provision, Mr.. Barn
hart voted against the Kahn amend
Bnent and In favor Of the volunteer sys-
tenn. In this vote Mr.. Barnhart went
directly contrary To the wishes OF
Pres't Wilson for voting against the
Kahn amendment striking out the vol
unteer provision and voting In favor
81 the volunteer system a. Mr.. Barn
hart did voting against the select
I've draft advocated by the president"
The answer to that statement can
- found only I'm one or the other OF
two words, 'ignOramus" or 'liar."
You can take your choice. Pres't
Wilson didn't give an eternal rap
about the Kahn amendment to the
consCriptiOn law. and by voting
against that amendment, Congress
man Barnhart voted I'm favor of the
administration bill as IL had been re-
ported from the committee on mill
itary affairs.
Congressman Barnhart voted for the
cOnscriptiOn law with IL I'm, but wait
and see how much the president
thought OF the prohibition?
Instead OF proceeding under the
conscriptiOn act exclusively. as pro-
Nidcd by this measure, YOU know,
Mr.. Reader. and everybody else
knows, that volunteers were re-
ccived for both the army and navy,
simultaneously with the seIeCtiYe
draft. up TO less than two months
ago.
The war department with the Rp-
prOyal OF the president, continued
To receive volunteers under the old
army and navy acts, just the same
n though the Kahn amendment had
never been dreamed OF, only the
process might otherwise have been
carried out under a section OF the
COnsCrlptiOn law.
Opposed the president. did he?
Well. the president doesn't seem to
have been 50 very opposed TO him.
Very much after the manner that
tIsc president found a way TO indulge
armed neutrality after the rcpUbli-
cans had defeated his armed neu-
trality bill, by going back To- an old
statute. 80 hc found n way OF de-
rcating the Kahn freedom of en-
listmcnt which Congressman Barn.
hart had opposed.
CPEAKING of the armed neutral
- ity bill introduces us To Congress
man Barnhart's vote ON the Cooper
amendment which the z. %. p. Is
seeking TO employ in branding him
an OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
In the second session of the 6tth
congress Mr.. Rarnhart voted in favor
Of the Cooper amendment to the armed
neutrality bin which placed an EN-
barge on arms or munitions consigned
20 any Of the belli grrents in the EurO-
pean war. To Wet the FUN force Of
Congressman Barnhart's vote Il should
he understood that Pres't Wilson
strOngly condemned those who voted
for the McLemOre resolution or the
Cooper amendment 90 the armed ship
bill which was the embargo issue
just another hall truth. worse
than a whole lie. the connection
either of an ignOramus or "A kmaVC.
You can take your choice.
There was no relation whatever
between the Cooper amendment 10
the armed neutrality bill. and the
embargo on arms. referred tO by the
president in his condemnation of the
MCI.cmore resolution. Tho Cooper
amendment was calculated To- pro-
hibit shipments OF arms on govern
ment owned and operated vessels. IL
in no way affected shipment of
arms or munitions on private or
corporate owned ships. not operated
BY the government even though
flying the American Flag.
The theory OF the amendment was
that American citizens while the
American nation remained neutral
had g perfect right To the free use
Of the seas, and to transport war
supplies. munitions and cOntraband.
even under thc protection OF the
American Flag, yet the American
government could not consistently