New-York tribune., 1918-04-17

which he has insisted upon taking more
seriously, once we went in it, than Mr..
Wilson and Mr.. Baker have taken it.
Hitchcock Was
Opposed to War
The history of Mr.. Hitchcock is worth
considering, for it virtually is certain
that he will be chairman of what, as
the war draws to close, will be the
most important legislative committee
in the world. A few days after the war
began he introduced bill forbidding
the sale of bonds by belligercnt nations
IN this country. In December, 1914, he
introduced the embargo resolution al
ready referred to. Washington regard
ed him during all the early days Of the
between this country and Germany
came in sight as inclined to sympa-
thize with Germany. Probably Mr..
Hitchcock would deny that his sympa-
thies lay thus and say that he was that
rare thing, genuine neutral, and that
all his efforts were directed toward
keeping US out of the war, SO long as it
seemed possible to remain out.
He is a Middle Westerner, and the
Middle West did not want to get into
the war. He is something more than a
Middle Westerner. He is a politician
with many German constituents. He is
even more than this. He is, though Of
pure British and French stock, said to
have been educated in Germany He
was supposed.to have a certain admira-
tion for German institutions. Thus, he
was before the nation lined up, before
the President himself took sides,
Middle Westerner, and therefore bent
on peace, and, moreover, a Middle
Westerncr who had been educated in
Germany and had German constitu-
ents. His embargo resolutions are thus
easily explained. Naturally, something
may be said in view Of this in favor of
looking elsewhere for a chairman of
the Committee on Foreign Relations.
But there is another side to the pict-
ure. The Senator ceased to be a neu-
trail before this country entered the
war. He handled the armed neutrality
bill for the Administration when Sen
ator Stone, chairman of the Foreign
Relations Committed refused to do SO.
He also handled the declaration of war
under similar circumstances
Is Courageous
And Independent
But his really big services to his
country have been performed in the
last few months. When it became ap-
parent that the War Department was
weak it was his courage and indepen-
dence, along with the courage and in
dependence of Senator Chamberlain,
that made the Military Affairs Commit
tee investigations possible. If the
American armies do arrive in France in
time to fight Germany it will be largely
due to the efforts of Senator Hitchcock
and Senator Chamberlain
The situation is not simple. There is
not a plain record of always tagging
behind the country as it gradually came
to grips with the foe. First there was
tagging behind and then there was
going out in front. Then there is an
other element. If Hitchcock is passed
over for any other Democrat on the
Foreign Relations Committee there will
be distinct sacrifice of ability. Mr.
Hitchcock all in all is the ablest and
best poised Democrat in the upper
house. He, moreover. is courageous
and independent, and it may be just as
desirable in the great days coming to
have courage and independence in the
chairman e of the Committee of Foreign
Relations as it is to have courage and
independence this winter on the Com
mittee on Military Affairs. Another
Democrat in committee as chairman
would be mere rubber stamp, perhaps
unequal to the task physically and al
most certainly Of parochial mind.