The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-09-05
We RISE TO EXPLAIN.

We have intimated in the columns of
The journal that the Republicans in Con-
gress have often been more loyal and
steadfast in supporting the President in
his efforts to win the war than the Demo-
Gratis have been. An esteemed personal
friend who is Democrat, who realizes
that politics is a give and take contest
between men, and justly claims that it is
not right to strike below the belt, has
written us courteous letter asking us to
justify our intimations He is not angry
and we have no doubt he will continue to
keep his name on our subscription list.
The kindly and pleasant manner in which
he makes his request seems to make it
obligatory that we should mention at
least one of the several instances which
seem to us to be our justification. About
year and four months ago, or, to be
exact about the time, on April Is, 1917,
the Consumption Bill was in the House
Committee on Military Affairs where it
was to be put in shape for presentation
to the House of Representatives An
amendment was offered in committee by
Mr. Dent, a.Democrat and also the chair
man of the committee. This amendment
was known as the Dent amendment and
authorized the President to try to raise
an army on the volunteer system and it
he found after an indefinite time that this
plan should prove to be failure he might
resort to selective draft. The President
was opposed to the amendment and events
have shown that his opposition was well
grounded and sane. When the commit
tee voted on the amendment it was found
that Mr. Wilson's wishes had been disre-
earded and that eight Democrats in COM
mittee had failed to Support the Presi-
dent" by voting for the amendment, which
then became a part of the Conscription
Bill and went to the House for discussion
and disposal Here it was opposed by
Mr.. Dent and eight other members of the
House Committee on Military affairs, by
the Speaker of the House, by Chairman
Padgett of the House Committee on Naval
Affairs, by Chairman Kitchen of the
House Committee on Ways and Means
and 10 other Democratic chairmen of i'm
portant House committees while three
other Democratic committee chairmen
refused to vote either way. Here were
90 of the Democratic leaders of the House
lined up against the President and three
others who declined to support him in
the first great war measure asked for by
the Nations Commander-in-C Chief. There
was rebellion in the Democratic ranks.
Champ Clark, Speaker of the House, left
his chair and assailed the CONSUMPTION
Bill and said that "there was no differ
ence between convict and a soldier Sc
lected by CONSUMPTION" and this state
ment was applauded by his Democratic
supporters, The President was astounded
by this rebellion. Beaten in his own
party he turned to the Republicans for
aid. Kahn of California, Lenroot of Wis
consin, Mann of Illinois and Anderson
of Minnesota, with the solid Republican
delegation from Maine and l43 other Re-
publican members of the House took a
loyal stand with Mr.. Wilson. The Dent
amendment went to the scrap heap, and
when the fight was over the Con-
scrption Bill had passed the House. The
roll call showed that out of House men,
bership of 227 Democrats only 46 sup
ported the President. There were ISL
Republicans and 46 Democrats who voted
for the Wilson's approved measure while
80 Republicans and 139 Democrats voted
against it.
Honor to whom honor is due.