The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-13
CONGRESS- MEEK
Presidents Letters Regulating
Members Have Them Scared.
They VIII Do Exactly and
Promptly What Wilson Asks.

Washington. Aug. 13.-when con-
gress reconyenes in another week to
take up the new draft law 1t is the
common opinion here there will be
little opposition to any phase. OF it.
The "fangs" of any serious fight that
might be made at lowering the age
limit have been pulled by President
Wilson in advance. In fact. many go
even further and say congress will
come back in a mood to give the pres
ident anything he desires.
The reason for all this change in
sentiment lies in one thing-the let
ter writing habit of the president.
Politics Adjourned.
Some time ago President Wilson
visited congress and said that politics
was adjourned Tor the war, whereupon
a good many pacifists, obstructionists
and Democrats who had beein batting
the administration breathed a huge
sigh of relief. -daIifestiy the way they
had been cutting UP in the past was
going to be forgiven and, forgotten.
They were quite willing it should be
SO. ,z~4
But the president adopted q policy
of inditing little missiyes out to this
state. and that, dropping few ungen-
tie hints as 70 now the administration
regarded certain senators and mem
bers of congress. The letters are get
ting results. and right now the pop
ular pastirne of such august solons
as are not home building political
fences for themselves is guessing who
is to be the recipient of the next White
House eptstle. No one knows how
many such letters the president in
tends to send out, but be it said that
a good many members of congress are
not going to draw an easy breath un-
til their respective primaries are over.
Mortality List Grows.
Thus far the going has been ex-
tremely tough for the "antis. The
voted for the McLemore resolution
and against war and consumption is
growing every day both in the Repub-
lican and Democratic ranks.
The utter reputation of Represen-
tative Dorsey Shackleford in Missouri
last week is typical OF what is going
on elsewhere because of the war issue
Two prominent Republicans have
gone by the boards-one from South
Dakota, the other VIII Woods Of Iowa,
chairman of the G. o. P.,congressional
committee. James L+ZSlaydenz of
Texas, the first Democrat the presi-
dent favored with letter. got out of
the race at once. He had been in
Congress twenty-five years and hadn't
had opposition for years. Huddleston
Der to be the object of a letter. is
slated for defeat, according to gossip
here.
Glad to Be Rid of yardaman.
Even Republicans who aren't wild
over the presidents new plan shared
in the satisfaction over the two letters
about the two Democratic senators,
Vardaman land Hardwick. Both have
been obnoxious on the war issue. More
than that, they have been pests and
dena gogues in the senate. 4 The COM
mon opinion here was that they should
have been beaten on general princi-
PIES, anyhow. and if the presidents
| letter writing habit will help do it, SO
| much to the good.
Congress win 'sBe Good"
This is congressional election year.
They may forget it elsewhere but not
| in Washington, and congress will be
| a worried and nervous body until the
November balloting is over. No mem
| Der, Republican or Democrat, Is go
| ing to invite a letter from the presi-
dent suggesting to the voters that he
ought to be defeated or that his de-
feat would not be unwelcome at the
| White House. Hence the belief that
| on pending legislation congress is go
ing to follow the example of the little
| boy just before Christmas and be just
as good as good can be-"