Evening journal., 1918-09-23
Fess and His Leadership
Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Discusses the I'm,
pending National Campaign and the Work That Must Be Done

the course Of the administration has
Jagged behind Republican demand.
Secretary of War Baker has re-
minded the country that the War De-
part Is seven or eight months ahead OF
its plans. But the answer Is that
these plans are years behind; the trou-
bic, from the beginning, has been the
lack of plans, the lack Of conception.
I'VE must elect a Republican Con-
gress because a Republican Congress
will feel a greater sense Of responsible
ity than merely to follow in the wake
OF administration decision; because a
Republican Congress will be free TO
criticize and correct evils, and force
action, just as the Republicans Of Con-
gress have been doing for seventeen
months; because a Republican Con-
gress will stimulate the war activities
Of the Government and stand more
firmly behind the real war aims OF the
President than Democratic Congress
would do. Every delay means the sacri-
! fee of thousands of American lives, and
Republicans. wherever they speed up
! the machinery, are saving these lives
The Democratic leaders, including
/ the Speaker Of the House, the floor
| leader, chairmen Of the committees, in
! cluding the chairman Of the Military
| Affairs Committee, which had IL in
charge, opposed the passage Of the Sc
! lective draft act. The Republican lead
ers carried IL TO passage. When the age
| extension act was before the House,
the Democratic leaders tried to ham
string it with amendments and again
! the Republicans assumed charge and
! ~ 4
dents military advisers.
Republican success in the coming
campaign will be a guarantee against
compromise and an assurance Of a def
mite peace dictated by victory in the
| field. Those are the immediate ques-
tions before the American people,
And what Of the questions that will
arise with the period of readjustmentg'
| asked.
"They also are directly involved Mr..
Fess replied. THE problems which we
must inherit from the war demand
study by the best minds of the nation.
Great economic problems will confront
us, and she public must be pardoned
for looking with distrust and suspicion
upon Democratic capacity to solve
| them. Always the Democratic party,
when entrusted with leadership, has
botched the economic policies under
which alone the prosperity Of the peO
! pie can be assured
Under our seniority practice in Con-
gress, Democratic control of commit
tees and legislation means Southern
rule. l 90 not attack Southern rule
| from a sectional point Of view. There
! Is no South, in that sense But the South
| has supplied the members who return
year after year and who by right Of
! seniority assume the posts Of leader
| ship. With few exceptions they are
men inexperienced in the broad and
great affairs Of national life. unframed,
| inexperienced, provincial. FlOOr-leader
| Kitchen has properly pointed out that
! the financial responsibilities under
which we will labor after the war will
| be of stupendOus character. Every
year between four and five billion dol
! lars vii have to be raised by taxation
more than a billion for interest on
bonds; a billion for soldiers cOmpen-
sation in lieu of pensions; a billion for
| the army and navy. There will be
other huge expenditures annually. Plans
! for economical administration and for
]
well in alvance; definite policies must
| be established. Will the voters Of the
nation turn to the Democratic party,
with its record of inefilciency in Just
such matters, or will IL turn TO the
party which in a crisis Of that nature
has always supplied the leaders?"
Mr.. Fess discussed the outlook hope
fully. with confidence I'VE will gain
members Of the House in every section
OF the country, even in the South" he
predicted. Enough gains are in sight
to forecast a change of the political
balance. | have looked over the situa-
ton in Ohio. and believe we will gain
three members there. / have con-
ferred with the State chairmen from
all the States at a meeting in Chicago,
! and they make satisfactory reports.
1--WE will carry the next House." he
concluded. 1T is we'll that it should
be so. For, with a Republican House
President Woodrow Wilson never again
will be in doubt as to where the House
stands when he proposes an effective,
vigorous war measure. The House will
give him the support that assures ro-
bust prosecution Of the war, a conclu-
sive peace and speedy readjustment TO
normal conditions