The Washington times., 1918-01-24

anything.
This VISIT OF his was adroitIy timed.
II came on the heels OF the meeting Of
the subcommittee Of the Republican
national committee. at which time
his friends took full control OF the
situation. confidently announcing that
after being readmitted to the fold
| they had calmly outvoted the, old war
horses. 1t came while Congress and
| the President were in controversy
! over important phases of the war
| legislation. II came in the wake OF
certain uncomfortable exposures in
| the military organization, effected by
| the Senate investigating committees.
Finds G. o. p. LeadefIess. --.
But more important than any of
these circumstances, Is the fact that
1t came at a time when the Repub-
lican party had suddenly found itself
totally leaderless. Hughes IL impossi-
BILE Wilcox has gone into the dis
card. Mann Is physically incapaci-
tated. Lodge and Gallinger are too
Did. In fact, the party as party,
has no giants" left to guide Il
through the approaching Congress
sional campaign or through the more
Important Presidential campaign
which is to follow. There never was
q time more suspicious for a stout
hearted, long-armed, auick-thinking
individual to- rise Up and take com
mand OF q wandering host.
Colonel Roosevelt has undoubtedly
AIKEN full stock OF the situation and
has decided to capitalize It This Is
the conviction which prevails In every
quarter OF Washington today. He
spent all day yesterday and most of
last night going over the situation"
with Republicans, Progressives. and
even with the temporarily -exiled
Democrats.
Talks War with Everybody.
OF course, he has not talked politics
he has talked war with everybody. He
has sadly deplored the state Of affairs
In Washington, and the breakdown"
in the army He has agreed with
Senator Chamberlain lone Of his
earliest visitors) that call" the execu-
tive departments are Inefficient He
has warned eminent statesmen OF both
the House and Senate that disaster
would be invited II the country did
not force the President to do things
differently.
This has been the burden Of the
Roosevelt song. He IL greatly dis
.urbed. He has said little for publ
cation, but he has seen the newspaper
men regularly and has interviewed
hem while they thought they were
interviewing him. He has thirsted
for information about all phases OF
the war program. He has exacted
opinions from all his callers, and
when these opinions have coincided
with his own he has been explosive
In congratulatory exclama'ions.
His stock Injunction has been that
the war must be "speeded up" To
speed 1t up was the only thing that
could bring him to Washington an1
such q time, he has declared repeat
eddy. How he going about the
speeding UP business, he has not said.
Perhaps he will build q fire, under the
Administration. Or maybe he will
put ginger into the House and Senate
minorities and inclte them on to
heroic deeds He may even bolster
up those Democrats who are OF the
party reservation, for a time, and try
to organize recalcitrant majorities in
both houses of Congress.
Peace Before 1870.
But the war must be speeded up. It
must not be allowed TO drag along.
Peace must come before 1920. There
is not much chance OF anybody except
Woodrow Wilson being the next
President OF the United States II In
November OF that year the war issues
are not settled. Or IL a Democratic
President should bring about a victor
ious peace before that time, say, a few
months before the election, the Demo-
cratic nominee, whoever he might be,
would be In a very strong position be-
fore the country.
All this Is merely a grouping OF ran
dom observations heard all over
Washington today as the result OF the
two-day parleys Colonel Roosevelt has
had with old and new friends. That
there is at least 81 per cent OF politics
in his pilgrimage to Washington at
this time seems just as certain
as the coal shortage. The other 40
per cent may be genuine solIcitude of
4 patriotic citizen in the state OF the
war. And the Colonel is no doubt
concerned over the one even as he is
interested In the other.
Trouble For Wilson.
At this moment he is the bitterest
assailant Of the Administration in or
out OF Congress. For months he has
been assaulting II in editorials, in
public speeches and in private con-
sersation. He does not believe that
the present Government has the ca
paclty for carrying on a successful
war. And nobody here doubts that
he came to Washington to make all
the trouble for the President that
any one man could make.
The more trouble that is made for
the Administration now, the more
trouble the Democratic party will
have In electing the next House OF
Representatives. II the next House
Is lost, the fact will clearly indicate
loss OF confidence in the Govern
meut. Also II Will enlarge Republi-
can prospects for 1920. This is prob
ably the line OF reasoning behind the
Roosevelt politIcal proRram.