The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-21
have. BAD RECORD
Democrat Leaders Shown Up In
the House.
Speaker and House Leader
Voted Against the War.
CHAIRMAN DENT LAID DOWN
President Called Republican To
Lead Draft Fight.
Republican Member Hits the
Democrats in Speech.

Washington. Sept. 21.-Representa-
tive Gillett of Massachusetts,, acting
Republican leader. in a speech in the
house today, attacked the war record
of the Democratic majority. contrast
ing with it that Of the Republican
minority.
Democratic Speaker Opposed War.
Speaker Clark, Democratic Leader
kitchin, and Chairman Dent of the
house military committee were singled
out for comment on their attitude and
activities and Chairman Ferris of the
Democratic congressional campaign
committee was accused of unfair crit
icism of the Republican record for
campaign purposes. Would the sup
port of the war have been any less
vigorous if a Republican had been
speaker instead or our honored Champ
Clark, who opposed the declaration of
war and went out of his way to defeat
the draft" asked MIR. Gillett.
Kitchen Voted Against War.
would the sinews of war have been
any less ample or more sectionally pro-
vided If a Republican had been at the
head of the ways and means commits
tee instead of Mr.. Kitchin. who also
voted against the war and against the
draft? Would necessary war legisla-
tion have been retarded any more il at
that momentous juncture a Republi-
can had been chairman of the military
committee instead of Mr.. Dent from
whose hands the administration pro-
gram of the draft had to be taken and
carried thru by a Republican And SO
might proceed with the other COM
mittees."
Mr.. Gillett said he believed that Mr..
Ferris was the first to stain the col-
nf la a
tinge from which they had so long
been free" He added that the speech
| was intended as a campaign document
like others for distribution under Mr..
Ferriss frank.
Takes Shot mt Creel.
| Mr. Ferris's recent allusion that the
last two Democratic congresses appro-
priated more money for the army and
NAVY than the preceding two Republic
can congresses, declared Mr.. Gillett.
| shows that some in the Democratic
party recognize public opinion too well
! to dare to say with Mr.. Creel that they
| thank God we were not prepared
when the war broke out"
"And letters are being systematica1-
1y sent out by. the same Democratic
| chairman he added, pressing the
same argument and trying to monopo-
lize as a Democratic asset the patriot
ic war spirit which now inspires the
na tion."
Democrats Fought Preparation.
| Referring to preparedness. Mr.. Gill
lett asserted that during the fifteen
years before this war it was the main
body of the Republican party and it's
| leaders which vigorously favored
preparation and it was the main body
OF the Democratic party and its lead
ers which denounced and defeated it.
! He said last winter there were four
n % tod 6xrT II
Gratis who had returned to private
life for motives of self-interest in or
der to increase their pecuniary in
/ comes" while four vacant Republican
seats were those of men who went to
serve their country not at office
desks but in the fighting ranks"
Presents Nonpartisan Proof.
The statement of the National Sc
curity league selecting eight measures
of the last two congresses which it
regarded most vital to the war was
pointed to by Mr.. Gi1lett as showing
that seven men voted wrong on all
eight measures. "Of these seven," he
said, six were Democrats and one
Republican. Forty-seven voted right
on all eight measures and of them
four were Democrats and forty-three
were Republicans. i do not maintain
that the test was in all respects a
just one. but it was made by an i'm
partial nonpartisan committee and is
one of the significant straws which
shows that the claim of superior fore
sight made by the Democratic chair
man is ridiculously unfounded."
The next congress, Mr.. Gillett con-
cluded, will have to face the postwar
problems and because of industrial
centers being in the northern states,
he argue1 Republican congress could
better solve these than a Democrats
house composed of many southern
members.