Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-15
WHAT A CONGRESSMAN SEES
Weekly Touching the Washington Doing Of Person
alities Familiar to Philadelphians
BY ]. Hampton Moore
wash,nston, June is.

Washington, June Is.
nRESIDENT WILSON made new
1 and catchy phrase in his revenue
address to Congress when he said POLL
tics is adjourned" The expression mas
been taken up by editorial writers ana
has proyed TO be a theme for numerous
homilies on the wisdom Of getting down
to business and avoiding factionahsm
during the war. Senator Penrose and
many other Republican leaders, however
did not applaud the presidential phrase
maker when he suggested the elimination
of politics during the remainder OF the
session. as heartily as did j. Ham Lewis
and some of the Democratic enthusiasts
The latter knew what Penrose. Lodge,
Knox. Wadsworth and other Republicans
know too well: That for the present
politics is almost wholly upon the Presi'
dents side and that it is dangerous 10
antagonize him at any stage of the
war.
Republicans have been reading the
utterances of Chairman Hays and other
spokesmen of their party in favor OF
winning the war" and they insist that
we must do 1t: but they are asking
under the rose" whether the war is
to be won by Democratic appointees
only. They point to the tremendous ap-
proprations which have enabled the
various departments under President
Wilson to increase their field and cleri-
cal forces They observe that Secretary
McAdoo is now virtually at the head
Of capital and labor in the railroad
world. and that also he Is in position to
,,I nj
the banking world. They know that
the huge sums that have been given
to the various secretaries for war pro-
motion purposes have tied up to the
Administration most of the available
| orators, writer's and workers. They
| know that a tremendous amount of the
voting strength of the country, largely
| from the northern States, Is in service
| in France, or in the army camps. Hence
their halting acquiescence in the Presi
dents suggestion about politics being
| adjourned.
| when you have all the machinery II
your own hands you can well afford tt
tell the other fellow TO be good.' wa:
| the observation OF a western Republican
who is convinced that the next House
will not be Democratic. The President
political advice reminds me of the ban
|
ciates on the program by speaking fo
an hour and a quarter. After he hat
concluded and mopped the perspiratioI
! from his brow he turned to the chair
man and whispered Don't you think w
ought to ADJOURN"
COME one has figured that the average
~ tenure of a member Of Congress
exceeds three terms. or little more thar
six years. The Philadelphia aver
age is higher than that, consider
ing the length of service OF formei
members and including sitting members
whose denominations are substantial,
equivalent to an election. At the pres
ent time the oldest member of the Phila
delphia delegation is Moore. Third Dis
trict. with six and half terms to hi
credit. Then comes Ware, First Dis
trct, three and half terms: Graham
Second District, and Edmonds, Fourtl
District three terms; Costello, Fiftl
District and Darrow. Sixth District
two terms. In former times the Phila
delphia member" was usually the mos
envied member. He was looked upon b.
lhis colleagues, who were subject to tn
"one- term or "two-term" rule whicl
holds in certain parts. of the country, a
virtually assured of life position. Th
shining examples were Pig Iron" kel
ley, Samuel j. Randall. Charles O'Neil
A. c. Harmer and Henry II. Bingham
who lived to be Father of the House.
That there was some reason for ap
proving the Philadelphia plan of retain
ing old members is evidenced by a com
| parison of the representation of tn
State of Delaware win that of tn
, Quaker City Delaware is entitled I
, one member Of the House for the entir
State. 1t is standing joke that on tha
: account the Delaware delegation
always Unanimous on every question
The city of Philadelphia is entitled