Evening star., 1918-01-21
Senator Stone Scores Repub-
Iican partisan Criticism of
Conduct of the War"
PENR0SE, WILCOX NAMED
ALSO IN SENATE SPEECH
Former President Severely Con.
demned for Editorial Attacks on
President and Administration. :.

CnaracterlZlng o m freSlQen6
Roosevelt as "the most potent agent the
kaiser has in America" Senator Stone,
addressing the Senate today, charged
that republican leaders are engaged in q
studied effort to make politics out Of
the war. Their object is to "take the
government over into their own hands,
by partisan criticism of the conduct Of
the war, he declared -
Senator Stones address, carefully pre-
pared, the first of political signifcance
made in Congress since the United
States entered the war, and regarded as
the forerunner of bitter partisan strife.
excoriated partisanship in the war. Be-
sides Col. Roosevelt, the Missouri sena-
tor named Chairman Wilcox of the
republican national committee and Sen.
ator Penrose among republican leaders
as his witnesses" to the political plot
he alleged. Investigations by Congress
Of war operations, Senator Stone also
declared, have almost entirely beeh
launched by republicans and adroitly
exploited for partisan purposes.
Calls Roosevelt a Menace.
Citing statements of the repubiican
leaders regarding the political plans.
and editorials of Col. Roosevelt, which,
he said. are "villainous screeds" pub
lished for money, Senator Stone de-
clared:
.On nv responsibility as a senator
charge that since our entrance into the
war Roosevelt. by his attacks on gov-
ernment. has been a menace and OBJ
struction to the successful prosscuttua
Of the war.
THE only possible effect Of these
widely published utterances Of this
man." said Senator Stone. has been. m
they were designed to be, to discrediG
and bring the present government into
popular confidence. That seems to be
the Rooseveltian standard Of patrf0t.
ISM"
Similar utterances made by less pow~
erful citizens, Senator Stone asserted.
would subject them to prosecution for
disloyalty. So.
-Of all men," the Missouri senator
continued. Roosevelt is most response
work cunningly. In the front of his
propaganda he throws a deceptive po-
litical camouflage. l charge that Theo-
dore Roosevelt, whether willingly or
out of sheer madness, I do not know. is
the most potent agent Of the kaiser in
America. l cannot escape the belief
that this exceptional colonel. who has
played so many games of questionable
politics, is now playing another game OF
his particular brand for very great
stake"
Making Politics Out of War.
The republican plans he cited, sena.
tor Stone said, have been "adroitIy di.
rected."
MANY if not all republican senator's.
he asserted. '.are acting in manifest
concert with dominant republican Lead
ers throughout the country, to mako
politics out of the war;" -'sa
AS proof of republican partisan
plans, Senator Stone declared that
there is no need ito try to fool each
clared that congressional Investigations
of the war proposed by republicans
were significant.
Calling attention to the elections
next fall of the entire House member
ship and many senators. Mr.. Stone said
two years later the presidential eIec-
tion would follow.
Here is a chance" he proceeded.
"for the dominating republicans of
the country-some of them. perhaps
more than one of them, seeking to
promote his immediate personal glori-
iication. and others, acting on larger
scale, to promote party advantage
to strike shard to turn down this ad-
and take the government
into their own hands. That fight Is
on. 1t is being played before our very
eyes.
There are various elements of dis
content in the country. Their potep-
tiality as political equations is. recoE-
nized by all. The natural disposition
Of these discontented elements Will be
to strike blindly at the party in power.
Therefore, in a way. republicans ally
with these discordant eles
ments Of unrest.
Excite Wider Discomfort.
But I especially protest against and
lenouuce the effort put forward under
The guise of patriotism to disparags
his Congress and the present adminis-
ration. to excite wider feeling OF
iiscontent and lack of confidence. and
o spread the poison of this impression
broadcast Plainly this sort of movo-
nent is afoot.
AS proof Of his charge. which, Sena-
or stone said, he presented 'delib-
,rately and regretfully." the republi-
ans are "harping' on alleged admin.
strative blunders and stalking their
,oIitical fortunes upon their criticisms
"First 1 present the honorable Boise
Senator Stone continued,
who. as a great leader of the fore
most republican state. very properly
ccupies the front seat in the repubH-
an national sanhedrin."
Citing alleged statements of Senator
oenrose that the republican leaderA
vere planning to demand an account
ne of the conduct of the way. Sena-
or stone said that Senator Penrose,a
ustification for his partisan outburst
ras over appointment of the demo-
ratio Erocerymen in Pennsylvania and
democratic farmer in Indiana as fed-
raj explosive inspectors.
as,enator Penrose," he said, seems to
ave forgotten partisan appointments
Y the Governor of Pennsylvania OF re-
nbIicans on war committees"
OF the Pennsylvania committee meme
ers. Mr.. stone said, 500 were repubf1-
ans and anly II democrats. $50
Pays Respects to Mr.. Wilcox. $50
Turning to Chairman WILCOX OF tn
national comuniftna. tnn ~