New-York tribune., 1918-11-07
The Verdict


The election of Republican Congress
leaves President Wilson in humiliating
predicament. He went out of his way to
invite a rebuke from the country The
rebuke has been administered.
On October 80 last Mr.. Wilson deliv-
cred to his fellow citizens this extraordi-
nary personal and partisan ultimatum
"If you have approved my leadership
and wish me to continue to be your un-
embarrassed spokesman in affairs at home
and abroad earnestly beg that you will
express yourselves Enthusiastically to that
effect by returning Democratic major
ity in both the Senate and the House of
Representatives. If the control
of the House and Senate should be taken
away from the party now in power an
opposing majority could assume control
Of legislation and oblige all action to be
taken amid contest and obstruction. The
return of Republican majority to either
house of Congress would, moreover be
interpreted on the other side of the water
as reputation of my leadership"
Mr.. Wilson asked the country to
countenance a complete subordination of
the legislative branch to the will and
mind Of the Executive. He urged the
election of Cuckoo" Congress. His
word was to be law for the rest of his
Presidential term, and the people were
adjured by him to exclude from the
House and Senate all men who might
have the temerity to differ with him or
to criticise either him or his political
agents.
John T. Morgan said once in the Sen
ate: "Whenever the clock strikes in the
White House there are cuckoos here who
stick out their heads and tell us what
time of day it is" Mr.. Morgan was a
statesman Of the old school. From his
place in the Senate he watched Presi-
dents come and go. Their tenure was
evanescent compared with his, and, i'm
bued with the traditions of the era when
the Senate really dominated the govern
ment, he could not imagine on what meat
a President could feed that he should
aspire to convert the halls of Congress
into his whispering galleries.
President Cleveland always sought to
dominate Congress. He sneered at it,
bullied it and commiserated himself pub
licly that he had the two houses con his
hands, But by the time he ended his
second term he found himself completely
isolated in the solemn silences of the
White House.
The theory of our government requires
cooperation between the President and
the two branches Of Congress. They are
equals. One is not the master and the
other the servant. A Senator or Rep
resentative is as much entitled to free
dom of opinion and action as the Presi-
dent is. But because Republican Sena-
tors and Representatives have recently
exercised legitimate independence of
judgment regarding legislation necessary
to carry on the war the President set out
to prescribe them and to persuade the
country, as a matter of patriotic duty, to
ostracize the entire Republican party.
And on what irrelevant and gratuitous
grounds! The Republican party in Con-
gress has supported the war with the ut
most zeal and enthusiasm. 1t has an un-
assailable record as war party Even
the President was obliged to admit that
the leaders of the minority in the pres
ent Congress have unquestionably been
pro-war." What was their mortal Offend
ingS Simply that "they have been anti
Administration"
Had Mr.. Wilson had the broad and
tolerant spirit of Lincoln he would have
said to the country: "War is now the
single absorbing business of the nation.
Give me pro-war Congress and don't
care whether it is pro-Administrafion or
anti-AdministraSion."
In the Allied countries of Europe there
has beer from the beginning Sacred
union" Of parties to support and sustain
the war. That was natural and logical.
But here in the United state tfc %or
mas been yisualized by xhe White House