The Washington herald., 1918-06-15

Some time ago the President made
the remark officially that politics Is
adjourned" for the period of the war
Republicans picked this slogan UP
and made much Of 1t because. as
they insisted, the President had been
the last one show this in the Wis
ccn3in senatoria ctLtest.
In view of the White House action
Low in indors Knute Nelson for
| tho Senate in Minnesota and in ask
ing Henry Ford. a Republican. to
run for the Senate in Michigan,
there are many members Of the party
! who are wondering Just how much
| capital they can male out OF what
they call the Presidents partisansihp
At the Capitol tire cases are treated
this way by the shrewdest Repub-
lican politicians. With reference to
Senator Nelson they say:
"Oh, veil. the President couldn't
have in 13rsed n Democrat. Nelson
/ IL just the same as reelected right
now-aEd would Lave been no matter
what the President did. This action
is like the Republic ans indorsins a
Democrat in Virginia or Georgia ar
Alabama"
And with respect to the Ford mat
ter they say: There are better Re.
publicans than Ford. In fact. some
Of our best ReputlIcqns in Michi.
gan (among them no doubt, William
Alden srnitn) saw hat Ford Is really
Democrat. So the President was
merely indcrsing one OF his own
party men for the Senate, in this
| case"
That IL the situation 'as she stands
as our friend, Cyclone Da2is, of
Texas. used to say. Just how far
! the Republicans VII profit or lose
by II. few OF them can vertr ar
| opinion just now. And. on thc "tf:fr
| hand. just how far the Democrats
can gain by 1t few OF the latter pre-
sumo to predict at this time.
One thing is Gel tain. with reference
| to the latter party, however: there
are some Of the bourbon politicians
who do not like the idea of "politi-
cal adjournment Just now. They be-
live the adjournment should be had,
all right-but all on the side of the
Democrats. They see no reason for
turning down Democrats nowadays.
and they see no reason for electins
Republicans: In fact. they cannot
easily be persuaded that any good
would come to the country at all
from selection Of Republicans for Of
fees now held ty their own number
Any mention of T. R. for the Pres
| idency Just now is very much out
| Of order. His friends say this and
his enemies. of course. are willing
1-A
| permanently.
| ly with respect to 1920. however. we
| arc quite certain that the Colonel
will figure then to some consiiera-
| tions Of the body. The Middle West
| ern Republicans are taking 10 he
| Colcnei in an unusual way. so tho
report runs these days. This may
mean more than appears on the face
| when the time comes, for it Is no
| secret that the Republicans intend to
look toward thu Middle West with
more favor this year than they ever
| have locked. The loss Of the Tres
idercy, due to the West, is reflected
in the Senatorial and Congressional
losses and that, too, in States where
hitherto controlled affairs.
But withal, while T. r. counts
and no matter how much-he will
not be the nominee himself when
| the time comes. There are things
he can say and do to help the cause
Of Republicanism, but not enough 20
help his own cause. This Is our firm
belief, and we don't think we'll have
| to amend IL
There Is no question but what
smaller countries, not in the war.
but where sentiment Is very pro-
nounced one way or the. other, with
| respect to the outcome Of the war.
are having acute troubles. It is nat
ural enough that they should. Some
Of it Sweden and Norway and Hol-
land are too prone to lay to our
doors. They should lay the blame on
Germany where It properly belongs
and where, perchance, II will be
placed when the German power, Is
broken enough to permit these small
/ er nations to say what they think
without fear of being submitted to
German punishment for so doing.
| We think the people of these ma
Tons understand. We think they will
| understand even more as time goes
on. II they do not it will be either
because Of blind prejudice in favor
/ Of Germany, or fear that Germany
/ will adopt methods of reprisal which