Norwich bulletin., 1918-09-24

that the chairman of the democratic congressional committee not only made speech in the house intended to make people think the democratic HaFty had done more to prepare us for war than had the republican party" but that he had later sent copies of that speech out under his frank and without paying postage thousands of a partisan editorial from a New York newspaper which he slipped into the Congressional Record"
 Referring to the statements of the democratic chairman that the demo- crats had appropriated mere money for the army and navy in the first term of President Wilson than did the republican congresses during the terms of Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, MT, Giilett said it was new note to be sounded in the campaign, and that 1t shows that some in the democratic party recognize public opln1on too wei to dare to say With Mir. Creel. that they thank God we were not prepared when the war broke out Mir. Gillett added that the ap- propriations indicated that in the words of the president the world is afire,' and that it is not to boast of that a congress under such conditions
 
 parations than did it's republican pre- l decessors in a time of profound peace. He advised dropping of all partisan snip in the pending war measures or reerlmInation from either party as to the lack Of preparedness. The duty 1 now, said he in substance. is to win the war. T do not think" said Mr. Glllett, that the argument of the democratic chairman will cut much of hgure in the campaign. The people know that whileN neither party has done its full duty yet during the 15 years before this war it was the re- 1 publican party and it's leaders which vigorously favored preparation and it was the main body Of the democratic party and it's leaders which denounced l and defeated it. And after the Euro l pean war began it was the leaders of i the republican party who agitated for | an immediate arning and Wh5 fore l easted the future so accurately that if their advice had been followed this
 war would long before this have been 1 ended in our victory, while it was the 1 leaders of the democratic nartV who | discFedited their fears and sneered at l them as unnecessarily 'nerVaus and
 excited Y" Mir. Gillett cited Colonel Roosevelt, General Wood and the late l Congressman Gardner of Massachu- setts as prominent in urging prepared T ness, and that 1t was four republican 1 members of congress who left their
 seats in the house to enter the fighting forces, on the declaration of war, 1 while at almost the same time four democrats left the house to better their
 peeuniary interests by entering busi- ness, If these were coincidenees D said he, they are not discreditable to the republican party"
 i He referred to the fact that the chairman of the nlilictry committee
 was not in harmony With the wal
 methods and that the lead in that
 committee was taken over by a re-
 publican, He referred to the absurdity Of circulating campaign statements that a vote for republican is an indication
 to the kaiser that the nation is half
 hearted about the war Would the
 kaiser think it favorable if the house is
 controlled by the party of Roosevelt and Wood and Gardner and of La
 Guarida, Heintz and Johnson, who Jeff
 their seats in the house to put bullets
 into his well protected sons? Durins
 the Spanish war the entire democratic body. with but six exceptions, voted against the bill to raise revenue fol the war. We, on the contrary, have ii ! ! drastic legislation and have un grudgipgiy assisted you to grant tk, president the most extraordinary ant : dangerous powers because our in ] tense zeal for the war Qvercame ou } normal attitude as a minority } In closing MT. Gillett said: If tn, next house is republican, as a majorit, we will again show the same spiri , which has actuated us as a minority
 but instead Of following your lead VI , will he the initia ting, pushing, ener gizing force for the equipment ant support of our brave armies in tn field I believe such a result woult : bring gloom and doom to the kaise : and not eneaurag cement. He knows wh have been his fiercest foes and whom h I has most reason to fear. The mex : congress must cope with the after-th |, war industrial conditions and we re puiblieans believe we are best dttet : to meet them.''