The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-03
REPUBLICANSTO
WAGE VIGOROUS
FIGHT FOR power

Washington, July 3,-Republican
leaders of Congress, at least a group
of self Reconstructed spokesman of the
minority party, at the behest Of Will
H. Hays, chairman of the Republican
National Committee, have decided to
make an aggressive fight for control
of the Senate and House in the forth
coming fall elections.
The decision of the Republican
chieftains was reached, according to
the New York Times, at series of
conferences held here recently. AL
though the names of those who agreed
with Hays that the Presidents party
should be driven from power in the
legislative branch of the Government
were not revealed, it is understood
that Senators Penrose of Pennsylva-
mia and New and Watson of Indiana
were among those who accepted the
party chairman's decision.
It deveoped at the conferences, ac-
cording to The Times, that while ma
jority of the Republicans in the Senate
and House favored engaging in poiit-
| ical battle for partisan advantage, in
the midst of world war, a very con-
siderable minority of Republican
statesmen opposed a campaign to gain
control of either branch of Congress.
| This latter group, which was over
ridden by the Hays-P Watson
clique, took the position that it would
be inadvisable at this critical juno
ture to attempt to embarrass the Pres
ident While they accepted the view
shared by the great mass of Amert-
cans that the was is in no sense a
| party war, but one in which the whole
country irrespective of politics, is en-
gagged, they argued that the RESPONSE
bility of conducting the war rested in
the President as the commander-in-
chief of the army and navy, and as he
was to remain President until March,
1921, he should not be burdened with
an opposition Congress during the re-
mainder of his term
Indiana Starts Campaign
1.-THE matter has been debated with
great vigor for some time" said the
Times 1.-THE advocates of a vigorous
campaign insisted that the party ought
to welcome responsibility, in view of
the criticisms its members had made,
and for that reason insisted on trying
to sweep the Democrats from control
both in House and Senate Their
view prevailed. as they are strongly
in the majority"
The action of the national Repub-
lican leaders followed, as was to be
expected. the announced determine
ton of Indiana organization Republi-
cans, in the Indiana State convention.
to fight the present administration
from the President down.
The platform adopted by the In
dianapolis gathering. it has been as
serted in responsible Republican cir
c1es. is to be used as the basis for
political attack upon the President and
his followers in all states. Chairman
Hays is credited with having framed
this decoration of party principles. II
is clearly reactionary in tone and an
ia gonistic to the spirit and trend OF
the times.
One paragraph in the platform
would commend itself to fair minded
r men, if its sincerity had not beer
disproven in a speech made at the
convention by Senator Harry New
recognized sponsor of Chairman Hays
and himself once the head of the Re
publican National Committee.
The plank referred to read:
I'VE hereby denounce any criticism
of public officials, high or low, wher
such criticism are inspired by par
, tisanship malice or disoyalty."
Senator New evidently had not reaG
t the platform. or the paragraph quoted
: above, because when it came his turr
= as permanent chairman of the con
l vention to speak he launched into ar
' attack on Mr.. Wilson that refuted the
partisan professions of his asso'
!, ciates He said:
News Violent Attack.
1.-THE President is the most astutt
, leader the Democratic party has evel
had. the shrewdest in his methods, the
a most uncompromising in his partisan
ship. of any man who has occupied
n the White House since the days of An
- drew Jackson. He is partisan in ev
f erything he does or thinks-as adroi
o as he is persistent"
e There was not one word either il
S the platform adopted by the Indian;
Il Republicans or in the speeches o
S Senators New and Watson of praise O
: the President or his administration
: The platform ignored him. Senate
Watson was critical, Senator New wa
e abusive.
s Commenting upon Senator New
T. speech the Bloomfield (Ind) Democra
: said:
e mo more savage attack has beel
made on a President of the Unite,
. States by a Senator than Harry New
% made on President Wilson before tn
:, Republican State convention TIL
speech was written and he fo1lowe
his manuscript closely. He ha'
i scarcely read a page until ange
!. and rage were visible in every featur
and every movement of the distin
guished senator. When he charget
that the President is partisan in ev
erything he does or thinks a part o