Evening journal., 1918-10-22

minority leader In the Senate, would
doubtless come 10 his own as the real
director OF the course OF the Senate In
foreign relations.
A vote in Indiana or California OF New
York. or in any State in the Union. IL
cast for Republican Congressman. is
Just as effective in removing these chair
manships from the South as II cast in
the States Of the incumbents. The
question Is not one Of sectionallsm but
Of the inequity that results when the
South spends the moneywhile the North
and West pay the bills.
While the military and financial pro-
secuti0n Of the war is the FIRST issue
before the country. the next command
ing problem is doubtless that Of re-
construction. All other countries eX-
cept the United States are preparing
constructlvely for peace. The United
States alone is as unprepared for peace
as she was for war. The Democrats
show no disposition 10 consider in adj
vance the reconstruction problem. They
are no more the preparedness party for
peace than they were the preparedness
party for war. While they have the ex-
cuse for their delay I'm eQuipping the
country with a proper war program that
the United States is not a militaristic
nation, and that il was for a time too
proud TO fight" il is difficult to
imagine what their excuse will be for
a lack Of preparedness for peace.
Through Senator Weeks the Republi-
cans have already introduced in the
Senate a resolution calling for the ap-
pointment' Of a committee on recon-
struction, which would adequately con-
slider in advance the many problems
that will be upon us at the drop Of the
peace hat and which, II we are unpre-
pared 10 meet them, may throw us into
panics and confusiOns from which de-
cades will not deliver us. IL is true that
Senator 0verman, since Senator Weeks
proposal was made. has introduced a
bill practically putting the control OF
all reconstruction policies into the
hands OF the President. But this plan
cannot pass even a Democratic Congress
without weeks Of debate, II at all. A
Democratic Congress will not meet these
reconstruction problems at the only
time that they properly can be met
in advance; a Republican Congress
would meet them properly.
Beside an early log fire in his home
az West Newton. Massachusetts,. one
brisk fall morning, Senator Weeks said
10 me: Business men realize that in
the war period and especially in the re-
construction period the nation should
have In control Of its legislative func-
tions practical men. not theorists. The
Republican party has always appealed
10 business men, to little business as
much as or more than to big business,
md ! think now that practically every
one realizes that the Republicans are
best fitted TO shape legislation for the
after war period.
people generally feel instinctively
the danger in a continued control by
the government OF the great industries
and the operation by the government OF
public utilities. Although the govern
ment took over the railways on the un-
derstanding that they were to be re-
turned 10 their several owners on the
restoration OF peace, the Democrats will
accept a victory at the polls as man
date Of the people 20 make the present
conditions permanent. No one knows
exactly what the new order will be.
Republicans do not expect TO go back
absolutely TO the old order. but we do
know that unless a Republican Congress
comes into control the present tendency
toward indiscriminate and wholesale
socialization Of industries and utilities
will not be wisely checked even IL any
unscrambling is undertaken.
Another thing that a Republican
Congress would do would be TO prevent