Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-01
PRIMARIES SHOW
u. S. WAR SPIRIT
Results Of Recent Congress.
sionaI Races Warn Against
"MoIIycoddIe" Peace.
SENATE WITH PRESIDENT

Looking forward to the time when
the United States Senate shall be
called upon to ratify the treaty of
peace concluding the war, it is found
that recent primaries for the nomina-
ton Of senators assure the presence
of additional senators who will ap-
prove and insist upon strong treaty
in consonance with the aims of this
country in entering the war. Several
seats which might have been filled
by senators suspected of leaning to
Objectionable sense, will be filled by
men who can be counted upon to
stand firmly for the treaty which the
President will negotiate.
Scent s1Gollycoddle'' Terms.
That pressure will be brought to
bear in this country for possible
"moIlycoddle" terms of peace with
Germany is expected. 1t will come,
it is apprehended. from insidious in
fiuences to be ,exerted by voters Of
warm to the fatherland. 1t will no
doubt be supplemented by the pacifists
of America with pleas for peace at
whatever price, so long as 1t is peace,
and no matter if the proposed terms
should whistle down the wind all the
sacrifices the nation will have made
in the war.
Many statesmen foresee a critical
time for the world in the framing of
the peace settlement. None doubts
ers will abate no jot or title of terms
which will match the objects of Amer
lea in the war and make this coun-
try's sacrifice not in vain.
But a hue and cry is expected to be
raised in certain quarters and echoed,
possibly, in the Senate. The first out
cry will be while the treaty is being
negotiated and swell in volume when
it comes for ratification.
Two-thirds of the senators present
are required to ratify a treaty. If it
were known that there was possibil-
material number of pacif1sts the
knowledge would undoubtedly be used
by Germany to stiffen her insistence
upon terms favorable to her. 1t would
prolong and make more difficult the
negotiations. Realization that the next
Senate is to b@ Overwhelmingly in sup
port of the President will have the
opposite effect, it is claimed.
So, it is a subject for congratula-
tion to the 100-per-cent Americans in
the Senate that the voice of the peo-
pie, as expressed in the late primaries
for Senate and House nominations, is
uneQuivocal and unmistakable. The
fact is also appreciated that the re-
suits of the primaries serve warning
that the people will stand no trifling
on war measures that may come up
before the war ends designed for it's
vigorous prosecution.
Senators to Back President.
Mississippi and South Carolina will
send senators who are counted upon
to back the President to the end in
the treaty to be negotiated. The
outcome of the primaries in Montana
on the senatorial nomination leaves
no doubt as to that states repre-
sentation, for whether Senator Walsh
or the republican nominee is elected,
the vote in the Senate will>AN true
ton over the Michigan case. 1t is
taken for granted that if Henry Ford
should be elected he could be counted
upon. since President Wilson Endorsed
his nomination. although his pacifist
views are pronounced and we'll known
and he is tenacious Of his principles.
The primaries for nomination to the
House of Representatives gave more
numerous, if not SO conspicuous, in
stances of evidence of the state Of
mind Of the people toward support of
the war. At least ten men were de-
backed the war measures of the ma
ton in full. Whether their course was
directly responsible for their defeat
could not be proved, if claimed, but
the two conditions are there-failure
to vote for the bills and failure to re-
ceive denomination. Some were weak
on ammunitions embargo, on the
armed ship proposition, on the draft.
on some other feature Of proposed
legislation considered necessary for
the nations welfare in the present
crisis and went down to defeat.
Men Who Lost Out.
Representatives Slayden and Nc
Lemore Of Texas, Crosser and Gordon
of Ohio. Shackelford and Hamil of Mis-
souri,, Kehoe Of Florida, Lundeen of
Minnesota, Dillon OF South Dakota and
Woods Of Iowa were left in the pfima-
ries, each Of whom had been criticised
for some phase of his legislative record
on war measures.
The cases Of Dillon and, Lundeen has
an aftermath. These men went abroad
to view the battle lines, but the British
government refused them permission to
go to the front. While their passports
have not been Withdrawn by this gov
eminent, the incident has served to re-
new agitation for restrictions upon the
issuance Of passports and closer ques-
t<or:o- Of rho ehjcctT and records of
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