Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-30
WORLD OpP0N
WILSON VIEW
New York Organ of Ad.
ministration Takes Issue
With the President
CONGRESS AND PARTY"
Leading Editorial Makes At.
tack on Personal Appeal for
Democratic Majority

New York. Oct. 50.
The New York World. which hitherto
has beeu regarded as the organ of the
Wilson Administration today prints an
editorial which il regarded as all the
more significant because Frank cobb, the
editor. accompanied Colonel r.. House
on his mission abroad
The editorial bears the caption Con-
gress and Party" and Us as follows.
In truth II mus, be SAID of the pres
ent Congress that few, If any of It's
predecessors ever exhibited less of party
spirit. |, has been non-partisan in its
faults as well as in its virtues
Or several occasions democrats as
well as Republicans, in numbers TOO
large, have figured as obstructionsts or
demaRogues, chiefly in the Senate. but
most of thes. mistaken gentlemen have
been properly dealt with by their con-
stitutents at the primaries,
III there had been no evil influence
outside Of Washington. such as the un-
timely Presidential candidacy of Theo-
dore Roosevelt and the anxiety of the
rroiiteers to preserve their swollen gains
after the war by means of plutocratic
tariffs. ii is probable that the partisan
outbreaks in the Senate would have been
less noticeable. II is to be remembered
however. that eve min that body some
of the Presidents most loyal supporters
have been Republicans, like Nelson and
Burah, and some of his most unreason-
able antagonists Democrats. like Cham
heriain.
When this Congress met year ago
last March. the House of Representa-
tives was SO evenly divided politically
that its organization became "A personal
rather than. Il party matter. IL Mr.
Mann could have commanded the votes
of all Republicans and independents
Of Republican Ieanings, he, and not Mr.
Clark. would have been Speaker. In
spite Of several deaths and designations,
the party division remains SO close to
this day that if Republicans were dis
posed to take advantage of absenteeism
they might easily control affairs.
considering the fact that tine great
ma jority Of Republicans and Democrats
in both branches have sustained the ad-
ministration in all its war measures,
the necessity for the reelection OF
Democratic Congress as such and solely
for the purpose Of war is not apparent
1t is true that a Republican Congre So
bent and twisted by Theodore Roosevelt
and the patriots of protection and priv
ilege. determined upon an economic war
after the peace. would be calamity
but n Republican Congress generously
inspired need not excite apprehension.
For example. if such thing were
possible. who should care if faithful Re-
publ'cans were elected as successors to
Kitchin. of North Carolina: Van Dyke.
OF Minnesota Randall. Of California
and Huddleston and Dent of Alabama?
Randall is a Democratic pacifist-Prohbi-
zionist the others are Democrats of the
strictest sect. and yet kitchin. as chair
man of the Ways and Means Committee.
has announced a purpose, well illustrated
IN his leadership, of levying taxes Sec
tionally; Van Dyke and Randall were
opposed to the war, and Dent was so
strongly committed to pacifism that as
chairman of the House Committee on
Military Affairs he had TO surrender
management of the great army bills as
they reached the House of Representa-
tves TO julius Kahn, the ranking Re-
publican member
1T would not be surprising if the Re-
pubIicans gained a majority in the next
House Of Representatives Precedent is
all that way Wars involve taxes. and
heavy taxation, even when just. breeds
discomfort. Many Administrations have
been confronted halfway in their career
by Congress not in political accord with
| them. and nobody has suggested that the
party reverse was in any respect a repu-
dation Of the. President.
IF by their votes next Tuesday the
American people express a purpose to be
| represented at Washington during the
ensuing two years by Republican Con
| gress. we should say that their determin.
alton was based not upon any weariness
OF the war not upon any lack of faith
| in the President and not upon any ap-
| proval of Rooseveltism and reaction in
the interest Of trusts and monopolies
| but upon certain well-grounded oh jet.-
tions TO the performances of the present
| Democratic Congress
From that Congress and its mme-
diate Democratic predecessors we have
had denials of Democracy in drastic
| prohibitory enactments. in Woman Suf-
| frage by national amendment regard :
less Of conditions in the States, and
| in taxation laid and now delayed i'm