The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-15
NATIONAL POLITICS LIVE SUBJECT AS
 GREAT WAR ENDS President Will Boldly Call Special Session and Sub-
 nit to Heckling REPUBLICANS MAY OVERPLAY THE HAND Candidates for Presidency on Both Sides Are Already Being
 Given Serious Considera-
 tion by Politicians
By HUGH W. ROBERTS:


 The upsettlng of democratic controi as result of the primary elections Will not abate the necessity of an extra session of Congres, or cause the Presl- dent to refrain from calling that ea- tra session, it is learned on excellent authority.
 That there will be reason for an eX- tra session is generally known TOT reconstruction cannot be completed be- tween this date and March 4. Never the1ess. as soon as it became fact that the republicans had secured con- trol, the republicans originated the re- mort that the extra session would be abandoned. Certain democrats, aware of the desire of the republicans so to conduct themselves that the democratic war administration would be shown up in as bad light as possible, and Wlsh- ing to relieve the President of the pro- gramme of heckling and embarrassment which the republicans had prepared, thought it wise that the extra session be abandoned.
 But from what can be obtained from those who move closest to the Presi- dent, the extra session will be called.
 MAY OUT-GENERAL G. o. P.
 In this determination the President is playing what appears to be very bold and very clever hand. In the first place, like Brutus, he is secure in his own innocence, and therefore reason ably certain that the republicans, as a result of wholesale investigation, will find little which will be of real ad- vantage-in a political Sense--to their scheme of electing republican Presi- dent. Tn the second place, there is every reason to believe that republican manipulation when extended through out two years will not be as appealing to the country at the conclusion of that period as it might be were it presented only after one years activity. As Sena- tor Underwood has remarked, a game which the republicans contemplate play ing might easily be overplayed
 There is still another reason, 1t is said, why the President will not aban- don the extra session idea. In the proc ess of reconstruction many mistakes will of necessity be made And, during reconstruction the country will be crit ical, whereas in time of war it was patient and forbearing. For all mis- takes, republicans must be held respon sible, and democrats will have little dif- ficulty in indicating to the country an argument that but for their defeat at the polls conditions would have been sSentirely different The situation will offer opportunity for very pretty play. ana tHe ueIuOcTdtS, IL IS ceTtdlH, VIII HOC be in the disadvantageous position
 CAUSES OF DEFEAT
 N4 Democrats cannot reach unanimous conclusions as to why they were de- feated. Republicans contend, and it is natural that they should, that the country wanted republicans at the helm when it was necessary to legislates in the interest of and for the perfection of business and the dinner pail" There are many factors, it is regarded as cer- tain, which entered into the defeat of the democratic party. To good ad- vantage MT. Fess, who was chairman of the congressional fight, waved the "b1oody shirt" He declared the south, which attempted to destroy the govern ment. was now in charge of the gov- ernment, and pointed to alleged discrim- ination practiced by the south in favor of itself He aroused the wheat grow CTS of the west to frenzy by declaring that whereas the south had fixed the price of wheat, the south had refused to fix the price of cotton--this despite the fact the wheat growers are receiving more for their product than ever be- fore in history. A second factor was the dissatisfaction of the country with the policy of Postmaster General Burle- son who, at the cost of service, has operated the postoffice department at profit to the government. His effort to curtail free delivery aroused the peo- ole who live in rural districts, and re. publican agitators always received sat- isfactory answer to the question: Who gave you mail service, Taft or Will son?"
 THE PRESIDENTS LETTER
 third factor, unquestionably was the letter of President Wilson, in which