The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-10-07
UNITY OF ACTION AT
 CAPITAL ESSENTIAL
Democratic Congress Needed to In- sure Harmonious Support
 For President.

Washington, Oct. 7.-''Unity of ac- ton in Washington Is as essential now as unity of military command in France"
 l This is the keynote of the Demo- cratic congressional campaign, as sounded by Chairman Scott Ferris, of the Democratic Congressional com ,nittee. He is calling attention to the record of the War Congress to prove his assertions that, as Demomrats have supported the Administration,
 Democrats should be relied upon in the next Congress.
 'HThe Democratic party will ask the return of & Democratic Congress in the forthcoming campaign on it's rec
 ord in support of the President and the war" said MT, Ferris. Claims of Republican leaders that the election
 of Republican Congress Is necessary
 to insure @ vigorous prosecution of the I war fall before the facts.
 'The Federal Reserve, Farm Loan, Agricultural Extension, Tariff Com
 mission, and other laws enacted by a
 Democratic Congress put the country
 on a stable basis before the war be- gan. And Democratic support of war
 measures has vitalized the whole war
 program.
 ''The Shipping Board Bill, three war
 revenue measures and, indeed, the
 war resolution itself, were put through
 over stubborn opposition by the mi
 nority.
 ''The Shipping Board, whose value
 is now appreciated by the whole coun-
 try and by all the Allies of America
 was held up for two years lacking
 only 21 days-by Republican opposi-
 ton. That is a chapter In the history
 of war preparation and foresight the
 Republicans nov. would like the coun.
 try to forget.
 "The Shipping Bill was introduced
 at the behest of President Wilson 1T
 September, 1914 He. then foresaw, as every one now realizes, that an album
 ance of ships would be absolutely es
 sential not only to take care of Amer. ica's overseas commerce in times o1 peace, but to transport our armie. and supplies to Europe if Germany forced us, as she ultimately did. into the world war.
 ''The original shipping bill wa. passed by the House in January, 1915 not with Republican aid, but despite Republican opposition. It went to tht
 Senate where it was killed by the nov 1 memorable Republican filfbuster con ducted up to nearly the very hou, that Congress expired by Constitu tional limitation in March of 1915. Re introduced the next session, 1t wa J August of 1916 before Republican op position finally was conqured by tn, 1 Democrats and the important meas urc written into law.
 4 ''The ship bill was opposed by 16 < Republicans and only one Demorca in the House. and by 21 Republican
 and no Democrats in the Senate. T mention this as a single instance a Dozens of war measures could be citet 4 to show how Democratic support ant s Democratic support alone, has kep Z the Administrations war program s moving. The three great revenu $ bills of 1916, 1917 and 1918 were opposes by many Republicans on partisan grounds. Had they not been support ! ed by the Democrats the Administra tton would have been without funds t S prepare for and carry on the war Republican leaders seek to mak an issue of their support of the Sc , lective Service Act As a matter O fact, the opposition to the origine drafe measure was negligible, only Z ' Republicans and Democratic repre- sentatives out of 435, and eight Re \ publican and Democratic senators ou a of 96 voting against it."