The Washington herald., 1918-01-12

There are too many blame investl-
cations going to suit me. There is
politics in them-T feel il. l think it
is the duty of Democrats to work
against them. or at least TO stand in
the way of too much Republican de-
velopment OF them. They are looking
for campaign thunder"
The speakerI was a Cabinet officer
he didn't talk quite as he is quoted
herewith. But the above is the es-
sence of what he said. We might call
it the condensed essence, to make it
more thoroughly descriptive.
Yes, but the inVestiga tiOns are
showing up things the country should
know. They not only make us cor
rect the things that have been in
discreetly done in the past, but they
will make our officials more careful
and more thorough in the future"
The next speaker was a man VINO
has been in the city for several years
in one capacity and another-for tho
last two or three years as one of the
leaders of the majority party.
While I might point out that the
President let it be known some time
ago that he favors the investigatiOns-
that he thinks they represent a democ-
racy in its truest sense"
This speaker was n sharp-witted
gentleman who knows how to do
things. and who does them in a politi-
cal way-and whose name is on many
tongues in this city every Gay.
Here was a discussion had between
three gentlemen who are big men in
the country. They were talking about
something that just now is very much
IN the public eye. Their opinions are
given because each Of them brings
out something which is pertinent to
public affairs. and which the people
of the country should ponder over.
So far as the majority party i'm Con
gTess is concerned half a dozen leaders
told the Observer that IL the Demo-
cratic party couldn't stand for the
playing of the searchlight's rays upon
their deeds they had better prepare
to step down and out.
You and know" SAID one Of them.
that if the party positions were re-
versed in this war We would be hon
estly on the lookout to hold the Re
publicans accountable. And We would
do it under the guise of good Amer
icanism, and good government. And
that is Just what il is. The party In
command is the responsible party. And
in anything big in this nation the
dominant party has always had to
stand publicity-and that applies tC
peace as well as war"
Congress is not fighting against the
investigations. The leaders are ready
| to submit the deeds of the admins
tration to the public Stare. If there
are things that are wrong Congress
wants to know about them, and wants
those things corrected. This appears
| to us like good Americanism. Anc
we are quite sure that the Preslden'
is struck that way by them-and that
| really he is not worrying about the
| multiplicity of investiga tons. as much
| as are some of his solicitous CaOine'
! members.
More than passang attention has
been paid by prohibitionists in Con-
| gress to what Senator Kenyon said
| about the duties Of that cult in the
present crisis. And more should be
paid by the nation.
The stories. given such wide circu-
| laIlO0 Oy pdSlOlS os NhNi - ~
eans, to the effect that our soldiers
| in France were a drunken lot. are
summarily frowned upon by the
Iowan and he lets it 7oe known that
no good patriot at this time Will
| further the distribution of such in
| famous lies.
His message to the prohibitionists
breathes tolerance throughout-it is
| Ill ncf
should read. 1t may help them to
wage a more earnest battle against
| their ancient enemy and more ef-
| fective battle against the Kaiser. And
| the latter threatens the death Of more
soldiers than the former has killed lin
this nation in the past 80 years. 1t is
time the prohibitionists OF the coun-
try listened to such advice as this.
which flows from Senator Kenyon's
tongue:
IT want to say to you, my prohlbi-
tion friends, we prohibitionists have a
job on our hands. Il is the important
job OF getting constitutional prohibi-
ton in this country, getting the
amendment ratified by the States.
That is job enough for us. That is
going to keep US busy. When we do
that we have done a tremendous work
along the lines Of ending the liquor
business. But for this war let us not
make it harder for the men in COM
mand over there by accusing our
American boys of drunkenness. There
is man over there, the head Of af-
fairs, who is a temperance man, a
God-fearing,, a clean man, fighter
from the word go no blower. no
grandstander, Just an ordinary, thrift
ty fighter-Gen. Pershing. He can look
after that question better than you
and ] can here In comfortable chairs.
Gen. Pershing does not want a drunk
en- army. Gen. Pershiug does not
want diseased army. Gen. Pershing
Is just as much interested in the cause
of our army and in the great fight we
| L. Ia A