Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-12
WILSON SUFFERS
REPUTATION At
CONGRESS HANDS
President Is Given His First
Turn-down Since We En-
tered War When Senate Re-
fuses Suffrage Amendment,
tsr aoaalne JOURNAL s.rel.l Ls.ssp vIasl

tar MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wIaEl
Washington, Oct 1.-THE presi-
dent has suffered his first Reputation
since he entered the war He never
has made a stronger appeal for the
support Of congress than in MS speech
before the senate in advocacy of tho
passage of the woman suffrage consti-
tuition amendment as a war measure.
II tell you plainly" said he that
this measure which l urge upon you
is vital to the winning of the war and
to the energies alike of preparation
and of battle" He laid special en-
phasis on the fact that he made the
statement on his authority as com
mander-in- chief of our armies and of
the gallant men in our fleets, as the
present spokesman of this people in
our dealings with the men and women
throughout the world who are now
our partners, as the responsible head
of great government which stands
and is questioned day by day as to its
purposes, its principles, its hopes,
whether they be serviceable to men
everywhere or only to itself, and who
must himself answer these questions
or be ashamed, as the guide and di-
rector OF forces caught in the grip of
of every material and spiritual re-
source this great nation possesses, y
What appeal could be stronger than
that. And yet Mr.. Wilson changes
not single vote by his exhortations.
Hearers Did Not Believe Him.
In plain language, his hearers did
not believe him They know that the
assistance of.women in our war work
has not been extended because they
hoped thereby to win suffrage from
the men, and that it viii not be denied
in the future if suffrage is withheld
from them for the present. The women
who are helping in this war are actu-
ated by precisely the same motives
that animate our soldiers on the field
of battle. The one thought that domi-
mates their minds and actions is the
winning of the war-all else is sub
servient to that. After that object has
baen accomplished other questions
can be taken up and considered The
grant of suffrage to women is not wi
tai to the winning of the war" and
the senators know it. Those who voted
for the resolution did so Tor totally
different reasons.
Heretofore congress has been so
prompt in granting to the president
every authority and all the funds he
has asked to assist in winning the war
that he has persuaded himself that a
word from him will accomplish the
passage OF any legislation he may ia
vor In other words that ne is the
government and the function of con-
gress is but to record in law the pro-
posals of the executive.
In the vote on the suffrage resolu-
ton the president has suffered a rude
awakening to the fact that there are
limits even to the power of his per-
sonal appeal. Ii is even suspected that
the democrats of the senate are sur
prised at their own audaclty in op-
posing the imperial will. Let us. hope
! that their resurrected independence
will remain with them, and that votes
hereafter will record their Intelligent
individual judgments rather than echo
.he wish of the occupant of the White
House.
For Deserving Democrats.
There are some fat patronage plums
provided in the emergency power bill
Just passed by the house of repre-
sentatives. In that bill the president
is given q lump sum of $4,000 to
! pay the expenses of its administra-
ton, and is authorized to create such
offices as he may chose and fix their
salaries. In ar estimate of salaries
presented to the house the compensa
ton of the power administrator is
fixed at $12, 600, two assistants at
$500 each, four engineers at $4,000,
etc AS $4,000 is the average salary
paid to government bureau chief
and $4,000 the highest, it is seen that
this new organization is to be very
generously treated Twelve thousand
is the compensation of the vice presi-
dent of the United States IT is also
the pav Of a cabinet officer 1t is war
prices" indeed when such a sum has
to be paid to the head of bureau Of
comparative unimportance in the gov
eminent organization.