Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-11-01

put two more millions at the front
and the chairman of the military
committee of the Democratic House
opposed the original draft with all
the vigor possible. II was saved, and
so our country's cause was saved by
the Republican minority.
Second, the new Senate must ap-
prove. by two thirds vote, the terms
settled not by one man only. It Is
one man control we are fighting in
this war. to suppress. II the peace
treaty is to be useful in the future
it must be approved by the great
bod Of the American people The
President has indicated q willing
ness to make a peace by negotiation.
He has not demanded, as he might
have done in three lines, that which
the American people demand, an I'M
conditional surrender. His exchange
Of notes with Germany has caused
deep concern among our people lest
he may by his parleying with her.
concede her a peace around a council
table instead of sentence from a
court. The IA points which the
President and Germany assume that
they have already agreed upon are
SO general and vague that such a
peace would be no treaty at all. but
only a protocol to an interminable
discussion. The President is with
out u final power to bind the United
States to those ii points, although
his language does not suggest it.
Still less has he power to bind our
noble Allies. We do not know that
these points include all that our AL
lies may justly demand, or do not
concede something they may justly
withhold For what they have done
for us. we owe our Allies the highest
good faith. 1t is Of capital import
ance, therefore that we should now
elect a Senate which shall be inde-'
pendent enough to interpret and en-
force the will Of the American people
in the matter of this world peace. and
not merely submit to the uncon-
trolled will Of Mr.. Wilson.
Nor can the attitude OF the House
Of Representatives be ignored in this
peace. Every affirmative obligation
binding the United States in that
treaty must be performed by the
House as part of the Congress. The
present Democratic majority in the
House has been subservient to the
will of the President in every respect
except when critical issues in the
conduct Of the war have been in
volyed. The President has not hes
itated publicly to discipline those Of
his party who have disagreed with
him, and the lesson has had its eff
feet. A new Democratic Congress,
with it's old leaders thus chastened,
will offer no opposition to his will.
They will not be consulted in the fu-
ture more than in the past. In a
Democratic Congress the American
people will not have the service Of
an Independent, courageous, co-or-
dinate branch Of the government to
moderate his uncontrolled will. 1t
is not safe to entrust to one man
such unlimited power. 1t is not IN
accord with the traditions OF the re-
public.
Third, the Republicans voted without
objection billions to be expended by this
administration Six hundred and fortv
millions for aviation were given to the
executive to build airplanes. without sia-
gle Limitation as to the manner or meth
Oh Of its expenditure. A Senate COM
mittee has depiored the waste and fa:'-
ure in the use Of that money. The debts
which have been created by this war iho
people will be paying to the third and
fourth generations. They have -.snt
to know how these enormous sums nave
been expended. Only Republican Con-
gress will have the courage to exact
detailed and accurate story Of that stew
ardship.
Fourth. the work of reconstruction
must not be done by one man. or finai-
Continued on Page 5. Col. 81