The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-10-25
TWO REASONS
From the Grand Rapids Herald, Ar
finn II UandaVhurr aIifar

From the Grand Rapids Herald, Ar
thur H. Vandenburg, editor.
If there are to be any changes in
the congress as result of the Novem-
Der elections, these changes should in
crease the war efficiency of congress
as a potential arm of our war making
machinery. At least two such changes
would seem to be self-evidently advis-
able.
aThe greatest obstacle in the way of
the development of adequate war rev.
enue legislation exists in the person Of
Mr.. Claude Kitchin, who halls from
Scotland Neck, North Carolina, and
who is chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee in the House. Mr.
Kitchin voted against his president
upon the Declaration of War against
Germany. Though anamalouslly
serving as the House leader for the
Presidents party, he has opposed the
Presidents program upon more than
one occasion with conspicuous per-
sistence. He has originated revenue
Notwithstanding the vitals of
America-which he has boosted to
represent his provincial idea that the
cost of this war should be dumped
"north of the Mason-Dixon Line" and
which he has been publicly confessed
as requiring him to vote for it with
his eyes shut" His elimination from
a position of congressional dominance
could not possible result in an inferi-
or successor.
The greatest single obstacle in the
path of the Presidents military pro-
gram-and the program of the War
Department-has probably existed in
the person of S. Hubert Dent, Jr., of
Alabama, the preent Chairman Of the
House Military Affairs Committee.
Mr.. Dent has been just about as en-
lightened and as helpful-to the coun-
try and to the President-in the de-
velopment of draft law and kindred
military needs as has Mr.. Kitchin> in
affairs of fiscal moment. His elimina-
ton from this post of war responsible
ity could not possibly bring the Presi-
dent and the country less dependable
lieutenant in command of this vital
war outpost.
Kitchin and Dent are no more rep
resentative of the rank and file Of
American Democrats in these war re-
sponsibilities than Jeanette Rankin
shifting a weak-hcarted "no" on the
war roll-call-is representative of
Americas woman suffragists. Never
theless, if We were asked to give two
good reasons why the next House Of
Representatives should be controlled
by the Republicans, instead of the
Democrats, We should offer Kitchin
and Dent as those two reasons.
Republicanism cannot defeat them
in their own districts in the "solid
south; but it will, if it controls the
House, knock them out of their harm
doing chairmanships. In the event of
a Republican congress, Kitchin would
be succeeded as the head OF the reve-
nue. committee by Congressman Jo-
seph w. FOrdney, of Michigan-whose
entire family is fighting in the trenches
of this war-and who is described by
no less an authority than the "Out-
look" as being recognized interna-
tiOnally as a financial authority"-a
statesman who has voted with the
President upon every conceivable roll
call since the German breach. Mean
while, Dent would be succeeded as
chairman Of the House Military At
fairs Committee by sturdy Julius
Kahn of California, who has twice
saved the country's war program
who has twice led the Presidents
fight upon the floor of the House sue
cessfully-when Dent was busily en-
gagged with torpedoes and submarines
directed against our forward-march.
We are inclined to agree with the
astute comment of our esteemed con-
temporary, the Evening Press, which
editorially says: Democrats in con-
gress idolize the President, but won't
stand by him; while Republicans criti-
else him and then support him to the
last ditch"