Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-29
President and WIUul TaUelve
Senators Who Antagonized War Program Are Weeping
With Trouble
of Brooklyn Eagle (dem.).

rather than permit the election OF democrats
whose attitude on the war is only known oy
the speeches they are making IN the cam
oaigns, whereas the republicans they are try
ing to oust have shown by their votes in
congress how they stand. :
To get back to the Vardaman defeat, 1t Is
believed that the president Will take hahu
in the senatorial race in Nebraska as soon as
the primaries there are over. The defeat OF
IVardaman leaves six senators in the senate
who participated in the flibuster conducted
by the "willful twelve" OF these SIX men
Ionlv one is a candidate for reelection, now
that Vardaman has been removed, the terms
of the other FIVE not expiring with the present
congress. The man whose term does expire
lis George w. Norris OF Nebraska.
At the present time Senator Norris IS en-,
gagged in the btterest fight of his political
career. Because of the fact that it is re-
publican primary hight the president mas '. DO.
linterfered so far in the Norris fight. But
should he succeed in securing the republican
nomination there seems but little doubt that
the president will write strong letter to
Nebraska in opposition to the reelection OF
Norris. Senator Norris has been pacitst
from the start of the war and is still main
tanning that attitude.
While only two of the "willful twelve"
senators are up for reelection this tall. the
president has found it necessary to oppose
a third senator who is candidate for re-
election. Senator Hardwick of Georgia,
whose voting record on war measures will
not stand up under scrutiny, has been op-
posed in letter by the president, PRINCIPALLY
because Hardwck has opposed the admins
tration in the debates on the floor OF the SEN
ate. Hardwick has time and again taken up
valuable time of the senate in arguing that
congress was delegating too much power 10
the chief executive, even in war times:
Because of the presidents activity IN Ger,
tain democratic primaries those SO lar helu
have all shown the same situation OF the
anti-war members fighting for their political
lives and often going down to defeat. The
, only member who has been returned where
the president opposed was Representative
Huddleston of Alabama. But Huddleston,
, while the returns gave him a good majority,
had to make hard fight all through the
campaign. Men whose records IN support
of the war were entirely clear have been re-
turned almost invariably by large maJoritles.
. In one instance where the president op-
Z posed the denomination of democratic men,
Der there are plenty of members Of congress
} who are of the opinion that mistake was
S made. This is the case of Representative
Slayden of Texas. Mr.. Slayden, 1t is true,
r voted for the McLemore resolution, but since
that time has been one of the administration 5
: strongest supporters in securing the necessary
1 war legislation. Politicians acquainted with
: Mr.. Slaytens record in the house contend
: that had he made fight in face of presiden-
n tioal opposition on his record he could have
v made good showing. As it was, he with
= drew the day after the publication of Presi-
t dent Wilson's letter opposing him.
The members who are talking about the
f cloak rooms of the house concerning the
e Sayden case believe that Postmaster Burle
Il son was instrumental in having the president
Il write the letter which caused Slayden's with
e drawal As the story goes there has beer
e little friendship between Burleson and Slay
e den of recent years, and Mr.. Burleson uset
e the McLemore vote as an excuse to have thu
S, president. oppose the veteran member from
le Texas, Slayden now serving his twenty
IS second consecutive year as a member OF tn
az house Of representatives.