The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-09
The Big Responsibility OF the Re.
publican Majority.

The big Responsibility OF the Re.
publican Majority.
The heart warming news from the
western front and the amazing out
burst of long pent emotions produced
by a premature report Of the signing
OF an armistice have for the moment
eclipsed in the public mind the sig
nlficance of that which happened here
at home last Tuesday. While the
American people have been Mailing
peace with joy near to frenEy-and
mailing peace not as paclfsts In the
current meaning Of the term but as
q nation determined to have nothing
short Of q peace Of complete military
vlctory-the belated returns from the
Congress districts and the Senatorial
vote have been swelling the dimen.
slons of the victory won at the polls
under the superb Leadership Of WILL
H. HAYS Of Indiana. His political
perceptions no more went awry dur
ing the campaign than did his energy
slacken or his courage fail.
Not only Is the absolute control OF
both Senate and House in the Sixty
sixth Congress now assured to the
Republican party; that control will
be exercised by majorities in each
house far beyond the most optimistic
hopes of n week ago. THE Sun Is
sure that the greatness Of the occa'
Son and the universal sense among
the elected Republicans of the new
responsibility before them would have
been sufficient to secure unanimity
of policy and action even IL the mar
gin had been slender. 1t Is comfort
able, however, to know that the Sen.
ate is safe beyond accident, and that
the House of Representatives will be
organized by majority Of at least
forty and possibly of ffty; numer'
ical superiority greater by far than
the Democrats have possessed since
the Sixty-third Congress. When Pres
ident WILSON entered the White
House the Democratic majority in
the House was forty-nine.
1t will be apparent, or should be
apparent, to every Republican with
the prospect of seat in either house
Of the next Congress that the com.
plexion of the succeeding Congress, to
be chosen two years hence, and like
wise the Presidential election Of 1920
will be determined by the manner in
which the party meets the response
bilities and uses the power to which
Il has been fortunately restored by
the votes of the people to whom Pres
ident WILSON addressed his appeal
for continued mastery. This Is COM
monplace, but like many common.
places it is conspicuously true.
Unanimity, manifested in the COM
plete submergence of fractional differ
ences and personal ambitions, is of
course the first thing indicated, in
order that perfect team work may ap-
pear In the organization Of the two
houses, in the making of the CON-
mittees and in the utter destruction
OF that abhorred sectionalism which
during Mr.. WILSON'S term in Office
has concentrated the important chair
manships in hierarchy Of Southern
politicians of well known and not
very expensive type.
hut aran - ~
Its bearing on the future will be the
general tone or attitude of Republi-
can control toward the Democratic
President and his Administration with
regard to international matters grow
ing out of the war. This will be the
real test Of the worthiness of the Re
publican party to hold the powers
now restored to 1t in the legislative
department. Patriotic cooperation,
hearty support, generous approval of
the wise and proper acts Of the Ex-
ecutive in the exercise of his constitu-
tlonal functions, may be expected from
a Republican majority in the future,
even as 1t has been rendered by Il
Republican minority in the past.
With full power, however, to block,
TO reverse, TO veto the non-partlsan
policies OF the Administration, there
will perhaps be a temptation to assert
this power, perhaps obstructively,
perhaps extremely, as long as politics
remains unadjourned on the other
side Of the line. There may be a
temptation to push Investigations into
the past dolngs OF the Administration
with an animus transcending the
limits Of necessary and impartial in
qulry. Even political expedlency re-
quires that the temptation shall be
resisted hut THE Sun hopes that or
binary fairness and patriotic duty
will dictate to common sense the
moderate and temperate course.
y We are glad to have "a this view
q "a,