The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-03-01
WAR WORK ABSORBS'I
ATTENTION OF ALL
Better Situation In Washington
Follows Quite Remarkable
Period Of Criticism
BY ERNEST q. WALKER
IMail Special 70 The Adyertiserl

states government as never before since
congress made declaration against Ger
many. This status is the aftermath of |
a quite remarkable period Of criticism,
which period, with its assertions and
counter assertions after all has demon.
strated very completely that great pro-
gress has been recorded toward making
it hot for the Hun in France next !
spring and summer. There have been
mistakes and shortcomings, which the
politicians of the opposition have
sought to capitalize. These opposition
efforts burst forth in January, which is
the great month for agitation in Amer.
lean politics.
There was special incentive for such
agitation this year, because there oc-
ours congressional election next No
vember, at which new house of repre-
sentatives will be elected, and at which,
also, one third of the members of the
senate will be elected. The house is
almost evenly divided between Demo
Gratis and Republicans, although the
former have a slight, majority. Demo
Gratis control the senate by about nine
votes, but the mortality among Demo
cratic senators has been very heavy in
the last six months and it happens that
deaths have occurred in States with
Republican Governors, these Governors
having the appointment of senators ad.
interim till the date of the November
elections.
Lack Of Issues
As partisanship has been conspicuous
for it's absence in the war proceedings
of congress, there is an almost utter
lack Of issues for the congressional
campaign, which will be in full swing
within four or FIVE months. Quite a
group of ambitious Republicans accord
ingly tried to "start something" and
they made a run on the secretary Of
war, Mr.. Baker, claiming that he was
not equipping the troops and supplying
ordnance and clothing as rapidly as
he should he doing. This political en-.
terprise has been under way for the
best part of a month and has focused
public attention upon the United
states where the Republicans in ques-
ton were operating.
The minority had the assistance and
cooperation chiefly of two Democratic
senators, of a faction that has not been
entirely in accord with the White
House. Senator Chamberlain and Sen
ator Hitchcock, both Of the military
affairs committee, the former the chair
man, have not stood well with Presi-
aegrt Wilson and resented being kept
on the outside. There were few 9th
ers Of this Democratic faction but near
ly all of them have come inside the
fold as the discussion waxed hot and
as the friends of the administration
made known convincing facts about the
magnitude OF operations against the
Germans and to aid the Allies.
Partisanship Absent
Notwithstanding all the partisan
| hullabal0o of the last two months in
! con zress, there is still a robust and de
cidedly Wholesale nonpartisan spirit
! for all war measures. This is evident
every day in the more or less routine
work for carrying along the bills in
| senate and house. One can count hard
ly a dozen Republican senator's tout of
a total of forty odd who have been
at .all conspicuously partisan. And it
is noteworthy that quite galaxy Of
| Republican senators have been as much
on the alert to support the President
| and the war department as the staunch
| est administration senators among the
Democrats. In other words there has
been and is a most sterling nonpartisan
sentiment in the senate and also in the
house to stand squarely behind the
President and vote everything and any
l. kAsnn Ns,hiah no essential tnNy a I'd
winning the war.
This sentiment il certain to grow
stronger in numbers and determination
If the latter be possible. 1t has beer
stimulated by the President 5 repeated
appearances before congress in join
session to discuss war questions, partic
ularly to outline peace prospects. Tht
decidedly solid approval at the Capito
of the President spokesmanship il
beyond cavil. There is feeling tina
he voices with exactness American opin
ion. There is also strong hope, which
seems borne out by reports from acros
the Atlantic, that the President is ais,
voicing with some precision the senti
ment of the Allies. Certainly Their
have been many exchanges between tn
White House and London, Paris AM
Rome on these matters, so that tn
President is supposed to know nue.
more definitely what the premiers o
those countries favor than It has bee,
deemed advisable to make public.
The Joint Sessions
The Presidents success is quite re
markahle in keeping his plans for thes
addresses to the joint session of con
gress secret till the very day of his az
pearance. The procedure is very sim
pie. Senate and house must only pas
resolutions for a joint session speci
flying the hour. But in former time
these were regarded as such exceptions
events they were prepared for with c1
ceptional fOrmality and the news o
preparations could not be suppressed
; There is tremendous to do all over tn
country about executive dominatiO
over the legislative branch of the goa
ernment; about senators and represent
atives being ignored in White Hous
councils and all that, but it remain
that never before have the Presden
and the Legislative authorities com
: into such frequent contact outwardlS
, These meetings in joint session, whic
few years ago were unheard Of, vii
tually unthought of, make the congress