Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-19

planes and terminal facilities that will
anlaz the world.
What IL needed. then, to help this
Administration most is a coordinate
branch OF the Government, with power
and responsibility in fchtins this war,
which will perform I'VE functions. The
first is that of constructive criticism OF
administrative action or inaction. A
criticism is constructive which will
point out a defect for the purpose OF
having 1t remedied, which will mpha-
size a need for the purpose of having
it supplied. II is a criticism from 4
source Of Independent power which will
minimize the nun1bing security of off,
lcial reserve and corcealment and slim
ulate executive sensitiveness to the duty
of quick decision and action in time OF
war.
The second function is by law to en-
large our military preparations at once.
30 that they shall clearly be adequate
to our declared national purpose.
Democratic Congrsss Ineffective
will a Democratic Congress furnish
his constructive criticism and needed
legislation? Clearly not. There have
been a few Democrats in Congress,
especially in the Senate. whose intense
interest in the effective conduct Of the
wal has been manifest and who have
shown independence. But in the case Of
the majority Of the Democrats this has
not been true. We may. therefore, infer
that a new Democratic Congress would
wait upon the President. would hesitate
with him and would furnish him no in
dependent aggressive impulse In his
great task.
What Of Next Election
Now, what of the next election?
The Administration has sought to Sc
cure what is called a %nonpartisan re-
turn Of loyal members of Congress
That nonpartisanship seems to apply
only in States where the Republican ma
j~orities would be overwhelming. ana
where the withdraw wal Of Democratic OPP
position is 4 concession Of no substance.
II does not work where there IL a chance
for a Democratic candidate In either the
Senate or the House, In Wisconsin, in
which the Republican candidate for
Senate VAS engaged In a life and death
struggle with pro-Cierman opposition. the
President wrote a letter attacking him
and seeking the election Of a warm per-
sonal supporter and Democrat. whom he
had urged to run In Michigan, a Re-
publican State, where there is a division
between the Republicans, the President
has invited Mr.. Ford, a former Republic
can, who rarely voted. and an extreme
pacifst before the war, to become the
Democratic candidate, with a view to
securing another thick and thin support
err in the Senate. Politics was not ad-
journed in these acts. Such a policy o,
so-called nonpartisanship, IL carried TO
success. will result in a Democratic Con-
gress completely subject to the discipline
of the Administration. furnishing mo
stimulus to definite policy and no i'm
pulse to prompt action
IF we had to have a Democratic Con-
gress in 1917, it was better for the coun-
try thai the President should be a
Democrat. Otherwise the declaration OF
Svar, proper preparation for 1t and the
passage of the CONSUMPTION act would
have been very doubtful. But now the
situation Ii different. Now we need a
Republican Congress 10 call for and in
sist upon adequate prepe alton and to
formulate legislation to this end. :
a Congress will in every way back up
and sustain the Democratic President In
winning the war
Awaiting Word From Roosevelt
What will Colonel Rcosevslt's answer
be"
This question was uppermost In the
minds OF all the delegates.
The bombsheli thrown into the politi-
clans quarters late last night by the
announcement of Attorney General Mer-
ton r. Lewis, chief rival OF Governor
whitman fon the Republican nomination
for Governor, that he would withdraw
II the Colonel would enter the primaries.
and the circulation Of Q round-robin by