Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-20

v v held in allegiance mean
while, will come to the
fore on the eve of the approaching
national elections, which will be held
one week from next Tuesday by
mutual agreement, the democratic anu
republican national arrangements sus-
pended political activities during the
progress of the drive.
One-third of the United States SEN
ate and the entire membership OF the
national House of Representatives
viii be balloted upon in the elections
of November 5. Governors will be CHOSEN
in several states and legislatures IN
Others. The elections would have pos
sibIe bearing upon the presidential
campaign of 1920 were it not for the
war. the uncertainties of which ap-
pear to render futile at this time all
forecasting on presidential politics.
But the elections are regarded as OF
more than ordinary Importance at
that, and may, in fact, have bearing
upon the conduct of the war. The ma.
tional administration regards IL OF
prime Importance that there snail De
no change in the political complexion
Of the House of Representatives Whl!e
The war is on and that the democratic
margin of ma jority in the Senate snail
not be reduced. The republicans make
the claim that their supremacy IN tne
House would have Salutary erect upon
the conduct of the war and that their
control of the Senate would assure
ratification of terms OF maj peace
more in consona e with the sacrlhces
Of the nation than the democrats are
likely to demand.
= x
Homer s. Cummings of Connecticut,
vice chairman of the democratic ma
tional committee, has assumed active
command of the national committees
part in the congressional campaign,
relieving temporarily Chairman Vance
Mccormick, who is chairman of the
War Trade Board. Associated with Mr..
Cummings in the active management
of the democratic campaign will be
Senator Peter q. Gerry of Rhode
Island, chairman IF the democratic
senatorial committee. and Representa-
tive Scott Ferris of Oklahoma. chair
man OF the democratic congressional
c:'r.r'". tigu committee.
Speaking in his capacity as acting
e., i'Eran, Mr. Cummings said yester
Gay that the record made by the
Ga'nocratic administration would be
the basis of the campaign to retain a
democratic Congress in power.
The outstanding fact is that PreSi-
dent Wilson is not only the President
of the United States and commander
in-chef of the Army and Navy, but
he is the leader of his party" said
Mr.. Cummings, and is at the head of
an administration which is actually
conducting the war, and conducting
it with success. The fundamental diff !
ficuity which republicans confront
grows ont of the attempt to justify
distinction between support of the
the Presid mt. for war purposes only,
as the republican leaders, in their
wisdom, think proper.
Our President has become the lead
ifg figure in the affairs of the world,
his influence was never greater than
it is today, his words carry into every
quarter of the globe, and the state
men of the allied governments have
accepted his leadership. 1t would be
q sorry commentary upon popular
government if the results in Novem-
her should impair in the least degree
the influence of that illustrious and
commanding figure
Each party claims for itself al
monopoly of administrative ability,
will to win the war and superior
patriotism in making terms of peace
The voter is not to be handicapped by
the modesty of the political parties in
advancing their self-asserted merits.
II is subject of comment that
there are no plainly discernible,
Ciear-cut issues between the two
great parties upon which the voters
are to pass decision. To be sure. no
national convention has set forth the
declarations of the conteSting politi-
cal organizations, as is the case in
presidential campaigns, but two of
the leading states of the Union have
adopted state platforms which were
prepared by national leaders and
supposed to represent their views.
New York and Indiana set the
pace for the rest of the country, the |
democrats and republicans of these
two states framing their respective
platforms as models for the congress
sional campaigns. These platforms
were thoroughly analyzed and COM
mented upon - the time, and it was
shown that there was no vital differ
ence in expressed terms between
them. There was inferred difference in
the Indiana platform. the republicans
apparently leaning toward more pro-
EoGnced opposition to the SocialiStic
tendency of the times and eyincinp
= Il.
The republicans have been deprived
OF one of their old stand-byes the
protective tariff. While the commerce
of the world is upset by the war, no
one can get excited over the tariff.
Woman suffrage and prohibition are
ciassed as ffty-ffty assets for each
party.
The republicans have sought to
make an issue of their support of
war measures in the House, based
upon the charge that relatively more ,
republicans than democrats stood by
the President The public press in
rejecting the interest of voters, has
not enthused very much over this
differentiation, apparently regarding
1t as more or less academic.
x
The democrats have depended upon
President Wilson to typify the demo-
cratic partys attitude toward the
Inltted their party's position to be
represented by the whims or idiosyn-
crasies OF individual democrats and
expressed in votes on various meas
uree pending in either branch of Con-
;sreSs having to do with preparation
for the war.
4
stand by the President. Is the sum
and substance Of the democratic cam
paign- That means. in their analysis.
give Inc President democratic House
and Senate to carry out his policies
Upon that cry they ring the changes
and it seems upon assessment that
il const itutes their principal political