The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-31
Shalt We Encourage Political
Strife in War Timer

CALIFORNIA. IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY.
MAY 8. 1918.
MIR. Church: Mr.. Speaker. follow.
ing a determination reached before
my last election. / shall voluntarily
retire from this body with this Con.
gress.
l deem it appropriate to place in
the Record some observations con-
cerning the relations OF the members
Of Congress to the country at this
time.
In ordinary times. other things
being equal, there are weighty rea-
sons apparent to all why district
should retain in Congress its repre-
sentatives Of proven worth. As
Speaker Clark has said. "A man has
to learn to he Representative just
as he must learn to be blacksmith,
a carpenter. farmer, an engineer,
a lawyer. or a doctor. 1t is an un.
wise performance for any district to
change representatives at short in
tervals.'
But there are now reasons OF no
ordinary Importance why worthy
members Of Congress should not only
he retained. but also without serious
opposition.
That narrow partisan purpose that
now seeks to defeat all representa-.
tives of other political affiliations,
encourage political strife, force faith
full members of Congress to devote
their time in a political campaign
that could best be devoted to serv-
ing their government. and in the
hope of partisan advantage seek to
deprive the country Of the benefit of
their war Legislative experience for
the continuation of the nations ter
rible struggle, can scarcely claim to
be actuated by the best interests of
our country in the hour OF it's trans-
cendent need.
As especially appropriate at this
time. l present the following ex-
cerpts from an article recently ap-
pearing in the Paris Mercury. of
Paris, Missouri:
NO TINE FOR PETTY POLITICS.
Come to think about it. is not il
rather reflection on our political
system that, with the country at war
to maintain its very existence and
the thought and effort Of the nation
focused on winning that war. we
must turn aside to engage in our
biennial congressional wrangle. with
it's irritances and aggravations?
There is not a single question, par
tisan or personal, that should be al
lowed at this time to divide ue or
destroy our unanimity as people. |
Our whole thought should be on
fighting the war and winning it.
As to loyalty, there can be no
questioning that of the present Con.
gress. Republicans and Democrats
alike have shown patriotism and
zeal. The alacrity with which they
have put over huge war program
has astonished the world. No set of |
men the nation could have gotten to- |
gether could have acted more swiftly
or more intelligently. certainly not |
in more thorough accord with the
president and the lofty aims he has
voiced.
That for no other reasons than
that the new and inexperienced men
want the honor and the salary at |
tached to the job we should enter
upon q petty personal scramble for
power and place is unthinkable.
With outgoing ships daily carrying |
thousands of our boys to European
battle fields to fight and die for hu-
man freedom. partisan and factional |
political wrangling here at home |
would at least seem to be out oi
keeping with the time and circum-
stances and certainly beneath our
dignity as q people with events 60
tremendous in their significance to
engage our attention. |
The present Congress has had
its training on the job. Like sold
iers who have been in trenches il has
seen service and is seasoned. hasl
familiarized itself with task, and |
is equipped a. new bod0 could NOT
be to deal with the yet greater prob
1nsrno - nO0rnosrnso pn~rs>~H-,~~<:<>.>