The Republican journal., 1918-08-29
Our Republican Senators.

No one can question the earnest loyalty
of the Republican minorities of the Senate
and the House. They have with few
uninfluential exceptions demonstrated
their intense desire to promote the hgnt,
ing of this war to finish Their record
is far clearer than that of the Democrats.
With notable exceptions, the Democratic
leaders in the House opposed the war.
With notable exceptions, the Democratic
legislative leaders opposed the pivotal
legislation making our conduct OF tne
war possibe-the Selective Draft. mat
act had to be put through the Lower
House under the leadership OF Repun-
lican member of the Military Committee,
because the ten Democratic members OF
that committee, including the chairman,
the Democratic leader of the House, and
the Democratic speaker, were opposed TO
its passage. They opposed the necessary
amendment to the draft act In which the
draft quota was to be based on the ellgl-
bles under Class One, instead OF on popu-
lation. The Democratic chairman OPP
posed this and so did other leading
Democrats. The President himself at
first sided with the Democrats. The Re-
publican leaders fought the amendment
inserted for the purpose. Within two
weeks the President was compelled to
admit his error and withdrew from his
former position. Thus the Independent
action of the Republicans averted seri-
Gus injury to the draft system.
No man can fairly charge the Repub-
licans with seeking partisan ends. Their
criticism has merely brought mistakes
sharply to the public notice to secure
their correction under stress Of public
opinion. They have given their hearty
support to every war measure and every
war appropriation, frequently in the face
of miSglving and serious doubt. They
voted S640, 900, 600 for aviation purposes,
without any accompanying information
as to how the money was to be expended.
They were unwilling to embarrasS the
Administration or subject the expendl-
ture to examination, though the result
shows it would have been wise. The
affirmative votes of Republicans have
given, in many instances, great political
power and prestige to the Democratic
ADM nistration, but there has been no
Republican hesitation.
Now what of the next election? The
Administration has sought to secure
what is called a nom partisan return of
7, loyal members of Congress. That nom
partisanship seems to apply only in States
where the Republican majorities would
be overwhelming and where the with
drawal of Democratic opposition is a
concession of no substance. 1t does not
work where there is chance for Dem
ocratic candidate in either the Senate
or the House. In Wisconsin, in which
| the Republican candidate for Senate was
engaged in life and-death struggle with
pro- German opposition, the President
wrote letter attacking him, and seeking
the election of warm personal supporter
and Democrat, whom he had urged to
run. In Michigan, a Republican State,
where there is division between the
Republicans, the President has invited
Mr.. Ford, former Republican, who
rarely voted, and an extreme pacitist be-
fore the war, to become the Democratic
candidate, with a view to securing anotE-
er thick-and- thin supporter in the SEN
ate. Politics was not adjourned in the
acts. Such a policy of so-called nom
partisanship,i if carried to success, will re-
suit in Democratic Congress completely
subject to the discipline of the Admins
tration, furnishing no stimulus to definite
policy and no impulse to prompt action.