The Washington herald., 1918-01-18

sne must MAKE 10 VIII TINS war. II rs
simple and very well understood
fact that IL lloyd George did not hold
these meetings with his assistants. the
house of commons would very rapid
ly replace him with some other pre-
mier.
while these daily discussions are
open to all the heads Of departments
for the airing OF their proposals and
the urging Of their plans, the de-
cisions are made by only the top man;
the unfortunate difference between
Great Britain and the United States
! is that our top man is not making any
daily decisions, and is very far in
deed from being willing TO hold daily
even infrequent discussions with his
chief assistants. but is dwelling apart
from them in very splendid isolation"
The writer of this column would
not be chronicling events accurately
If he endeavored to suppress the
fact that what Mr.. Hard says here
has been said by any number of our
congressional leaders, and by some
of the biggest men of the country
who have visited Washington. cas-
ually but inquiringly. during the
past four or five months.
The truth is. to proceed, Congress
cannot understand why Mr.. Wilson
isOlates himself-why he continues
, so steadfastly to refuse to have
anything to do with Congress. to re-
fuse to call men into his confidence
who would be glad to come, and
who are worthy TO come
Indeed the case has hepona
pronounced that some of the very
closest friends the President has
have spoken of it with concern.
They have endeavored to get some
of the leaders to go to the President
and speak seriously about it, tell ng
him that he must become more ac-
cessible if he is to do his full bit
for his country. The most serious
consideration in serious times has
been given to most drastic steps in
this regard. But up to date. so it is
said with some authority. there has
been no one found who feels close
enough to the President to really
broach the subject in such a way
| that the President will take heed.
One very important man. a leader
1 plus-we will say-said something
not so long ago that indicated the
feeling of several men whose pa
triOtism and forethought and initia-
tive are regarded very highly in
American life. We cannot give his
statement literally, because it would
easily be seen who he is. But the
substance Of it was that the PreSi-
dent must have forgotten" that
some five hundred representatives
of the people are at the other end
of Pennsylvania avenue, and that
their functions. as outlined by the
people who sent them here, include
their cooperation with the admin
istration in conducting our govern
ment, and the expression of the
popular will to the end that all
things governmentally may be done
in business-like manner and with
no loss to our cause.
The future may be different from
the past. Congress hopes that it
will be. And Congress is waiting
patiently. when it can report back
to the people it represents. that
changes have been made in the con-
duct of the war and in the attitude
of the leaders toward all other
leaders who are in it, and whose ac-
tivities and desires must be granted
If victory as to be ours in the end.
Mr.. Hurd was not wholly right
but he put his finger on something
that We would be misrepresenting
to our readers If We did mot give it
to them as we have here detailed il.
THE OBSERVER.