Evening star., 1918-08-21
PRESIDENT GLAD TO
SEE VARDAMANG GO
Not Only One Here Who Is
Pleased by Harrison's VIC
tory in Mississippi.
LATTER AGAINST PACIFISM
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

HY DAVID LA" "AENCEs
Copyright, Ids. by the New York Evening
Post Company
President Wilson wasn't a bit dis
pleased by the result of the primary ir
Mississippi. which means the eiimina-
tion of James Il. Vardaman from the
United States Senate. In the first place
Mr.. Vardaman was an implacable foe
Of the Wilson administration and Repre-
sentative Pat Harrison is friend tried
and true. The administration wins
heavily on the exchange. In the second
place, 1t is a vindication Of the Presi-
dents outspoken opposition to Senator
vardaman. who has fought the admins
tration on many questions Of domestic
policy. And in the third place. 1t IL
the first victiry against the "willful
twelve" vino filibustered against the
armed neutrality bill, a circumstance
that is often cited as having convinced
German statesmen that America was
disunited and would not fight.
Pleasing to Many People.
Irrespective. however. of the Presi-
dents own utterances on. the choice
of a senator in Mississippi. there are
many people .in the National Capital
who are pleased at Vardaman's elm
ination. for by, no stretch of the
Imagination can it be said that he
was a popular senator. He was one
of the men always ready to bring
most people hoped 1t would be omit
ted. and he not infrequently voted
with the republicans in committees.
thus baking or delaying administra-
tion measures. Unlike many senator's
who vote against the administration
from pure conviction. the mississippi
senator made 1t his business to be
an antti-administratio man all along
the line and was rarely heard to say
q word in favor of the policies OF
the President, either foreign or do
mestic.
Both Messrs. Noel and Harrison.
who made the race against Senator
Vardaman, were friends of the Presi-
dent, and in coming out against Var
daman 1t is to be noted that MIR. VIII
son expressed no preference as be-
tween the other candidates. Pat
enviable record during his four terms
in Congress, has been of consider
able help to the President. In the
critical moments when 1t was feared
that the House committee on foreign
affairs would not support the Presi-
the McLemore resolution. the messWs
that would have surrendered Ameri-
can rights on the seas to Germany. 1t
was Representative Harrison who as
sisted materially. i'm getting report
that was consistent with American
tradition and honor. tt
Has Stood Against Pacihsm.
On other occasions, too. Mr. Harri-
son has taken up the cudgels against
pacifist elements seeking to obstruct
Army and Navy appropriations The
people of Mississippi knew without
q word from the PresideNt that he
liked Pat Harrison. In January. 1914.
1t was Representative Harrison who
Christian. Miss. which is in his con-
district. for a vacation.
They have been close friends. ever
since. q
There are indications that the Pres
success in Mississippi will
stimulate friends of the administra-
tion to press hard in Georgia for the
election of William j. Harris. while
in South Carolina the moral effect of
the victory in a neighboring state is
counted upon by the administration
to help beat Cole Blease for the
Senate.
But the defeat of vardaman may
have a national aspect when some OF
the other members Of the "willful
twelve" group come up for election
next fall. There is talk of definite
declaration by the President against
some of these men who are repub-
licans. Mr.. Wilson's entry into the
political controversies is already ex-
citing the republican leaders. but in
defense of his attitude 1t is stoutly
maintained that the condemnation OF
the course Of the s'willful twelve" was
nationwide at the time the armed
bill was before the Senate
and that Mr.. Wilson is not willing to
forgive those fatal acts of obstruction
as easily as are his opponents. II
would not be surprising. therefore. to
see the fight in some of the western
states conducted by the democrats
along those lines.
May Take Hand in New Jersey.
Another northern state in which the
President Is likely to take an active
part is New Jersey Whatever ma,
have been his forbearance against ex.
pressing a preference as between
democrats and republicans heretofore
it is quite likely that in his own state
he will feel as free as he did in the
past to say whom he would like to see
in 1912, and did not hesitate to come
out against Senator MartiAe in tho
democratic primaries in 1916. Mr.. Mar.
tine was renominated despite Mr.. vii.
sons opposition, but the President die
not say word in his favor in the
campaign for election that followed.
The President has a high opinion Of
George La Monte, who has tust beer
selected by the democratic state
committee Of New Jersey to run for
the Senate. MI. La Monte was fnti-
when he was Governor Of New Jer-
sey, and If nominated will have q
warm supporter in the White House
The contests in the various states
are producing great deal of in.
terest in administration circles. Al
licans that they thought politics ha6
been "adjourned' by the President
men like Postmaster General Burle.
son and other political advisers o1
Mr.. Wilson are insistent that every.
body who knew the situation In
Congress at the time the phrase was
used knew perfectly well what MT
Wilson meant.
Look After Own Fortunes,
Both republicans and democrat.
alike. were trying to postpone consid'
GRAFTON Of any revenue bill until afte,
the November elections. fearing tn.
effect on their own personal for.
tunes. Mr.. Wilson's point. according
to Mr.. Burleson, was that the Presi.
dent said then what he would be slat
to say again-that al between the DO.
litical advantages Of individuals ant
the nations interest and part In thu
war, politics must be permanently ad
journed. But, 1t is contended, on thu
other hand. that until there is al
agreement. 1stul0enAthe political par.
ties themAl4gS4 -. 1djourn poEftfcs
until Chairman HayY and Mr.. Taft ,ant
Mr.. Roosevelt and others cease advo.
eating the election of republican