Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-15
POLITICS IS NOT ADJOURNED
Republican Program. Aside From support
Of the War, Is Wide Apart from the
Democratic Policies

ONE of the best things that could be
~ done for the successful prosecution
of the war would he the election of a
Republican, House of Representatives in
November.
We have been told that politics is
adjourned" but events disprove that
statement every day. The party in con-
troll in Washington is playing the game
of politics with exceeding cunning. 1t
has been assisted by the Republicans,
who have laid aside partisan feeling in
supporting the war program of the
Administration. The Democratic leaders
are assuming that this course involves
an Endorsement of their leadership and of
their partisan program in matters not
connected with the war.
The surest way to take politics out of
the prosecution of the war is to make it
impossible for one party to claim the
credit or receive the blame for what is
done. With a Republican House and
Democratic Senate, or with a Republi
can Senate and House and Democratic
President, partisan politics could find no
place in any act of the Government re-
quiring the cooperation of the legislative
and executive branches.
It was possible to read all this between
the lines of the admirable address made
by Will H. Hays, chairman Of the Repub-
liCan National Committee, to the State
Republican committee and other Republi-
can leaders at the Bellevue -Stratford
yesterday. The burden of the speech of
Mr.. Hays was that the Republican party
has a mission to perform in this great
crisis. It would be false to its best ira
ditions if it refused to rise to the occa-
sion and neglected to make strenuous
effort to poll its full strength at the polls
in November that the sentiment of the
nation might be adequately represented
in Washington.
The party does not intend to lie down
on its job. 1t has an affirmative program,
which includes exerting itself to the
utmost to win the war, insisting on a
peace with victory and opposing a nego-
tiated peace which would violate Ameri-
can rights, interests and honor" and
preparation for the solution of the prob
lens of restoring the Government to it's
natural functions after the war.
This newspaper for months has been
arguing the necessity of electing a Con-
gress which should be pledged to con-
slider the future and to study the grave
problems of the restoration of the con-
troll of business to private hands, and
the adjustment of our tariff laws to the
new conditions which the war will create
and which peace will make more compl-
Gated. Those problems cannot be solved
by tyros who take them up overnight.
There is involved in them the application
of the fundamental principles of eco
| nomics and a conception of the proper
| functions Of government. Their solution
| will strain the capacities of the ablest
statesmen in all parties. They are
beyond the abilities of those politicians
who are interested merely in the fight
| for Offices for the sake of the patronage
The appeal of Mr.. Hays to the leaders
| to forget factionalism, which is another
| name for greed for spois, and to con.
! centrate their attention on the big cues.
tions was well phrased. 1t was uttered
| in a presence where it was needed. This
is time when all Republicans should get
| together and unite in the advocacy OF
the sane principles which have charac,
terized the party froln the beginning anc
| in opposition to the socialistic tendenc,
of the democracy, tendency WHICH is
increasing with every war move of the
Administration.
1t must be made clear that com
Wandering of industry is war measure
and nothing else, and that industry mus
be returned to private control as soon a:
| possible when peace Gomez. But the
| party in power, or many of its leaders
are committed to Government OWNERSHIP
of various utilities and they are undoubt
edlv planning to force the question as ar
issue in the next presidential election
| The Republican party does not believe il
any such extension of the functions Of
| Government and no time can be lost il
making the issue so clear that there car
be no mistaking it. Then those unthink
ing persons who say there is no differ
ence between the Republicans and tn,
Democrats will learn their error anc
those voters who have positive convic
tions will know what party to support.
q,