The Washington herald., 1918-02-20

senator La Follete viii shortly
bring up the little matter in which
he is interested in the United
States Senate.
So it is said at the Capitol.
There are said to be several rea-
sons why this has not been done by
the committee. Some Of these rea-
| sons may not be true. Others may.
Anyway the airing of the affair to
a conclusion will give to the people
some of the facts or near-facts
which have been cited here and
| there during the past few weeks.
One of the reasons assigned for
| apathy on the part of the committee
is that members have found that
| Bryan might become involved to a
| distressing degree. 1t is said that
they do not want to make the
pathway of life any harder for him
to travel
Another reason is said to be that
La Toilette has numerous things of
interest to say in his own behalf
and that the committee does not
want to hear them.
Still another reason assigned
and this may be the truthful one
is that the committee does not
want to assail the right of a United
States Senator to say anything
which might lead to a more ac-
curate understanding of the situa-
tion in the nation.
The wisconsonian has not been
heard of late in the Senate, but
this due to the fact that his son
has been seriously i'll and he has
been constantly at his bedside.
DUhnn hn ha In
House he has not taken any con-
siderable amount of interest in the
proceedings because Of his worries,
| so 1t is said.
Differences of opinion are sharp
| over what the effect OF this falls
elections will be. In Georgia Sem
ator Hardwick is said to be con-
dusting an out-and-out anti-admin-
| istration campaign. He is said to
have been elated at the reports
| from there, which he and some of
| his friends have been quite care
| full to gather. He thinks he will
| have little difficulty in attaining
| his goal. Hoke Smith does not
| agree with this sum-up. so 1t is
said. however. The latter thinks
| Hardwick has not a correct line on
| the situation. The gist of the sit
uation is that the farmers are op-
posing the administration while the
major portion of the towns-people
| are with the administration very
firmly. The Non-partisan movement
has not seriously encrC ached in this
| field, but the agrarians appear to
be bound together in spite of that
| fact.
Once in awhile some member has
the temerity to suggest that the
end of the present session will be
| reached within the next three
months. Others say it will take
five or six months more to bring
| the conclusion. And others confess
| they are fearful that Congress will
| not get to have more than three
| weeks at home for its painfully in
innate part in the fall campaign.
The outstanding laxity appears to
be that no one knows of any par
ticular program to put through,
and no one has the initiative to
suggest that such a program be
determined upon. The party lead
ers do mot want to essay the task
Of outlining ii and the members of
the minority couldn't If they want
ed to. And no one in either branch
has gone so far as to suggest a
union of the parties to put through
a program. But lurking behind all
this is the conviction of many MEM
bers that Congress should remain
in the city and be ready for any
| business that might come up "of
a sudden" The belief of most of
the members, apart from their de-
sire to run home and see how their
fences are, is that Congress should
be here the greater share of the
time during the war period and that
its membership can do its bit better
here than elsewhere.
1 II would be enough for one man to
do to keep in touch with the diplo-
matte situation and to prepare the
world documents which must issue
from our executive during this strug-
gle. But when are added to his duties
the settlement of strikes, and the pro-
INDICATION Of vital orders affecting
production and trsnsportssion. thsrs