Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-19


- Table are pinins fer vision.
even as their prototypes In the
days Of King Arthur. and they
are fareing forth in the quest-net Of
the Holy Grail-but Of an issue.
In Just about one year there IL to be
an election, and It promises to be one OF
tho most momentous elections In the
history Of this country. Those leaders
in Congress whose own future depends
largely on the result Of that election are
turning in all directiens-fer an issue.
Trinitrotoluoi and the other super
giant explosives manufactured by the
thousands Of tons have shaken UP this
country quite as effectively as they
wrecked churches. demolished homes.
tore down bridges and plowed UP fields.
gardens and vineyards OF old world ma
lions. Out of political lethargy that
had been growing upon the United
States the people have been startled by
these blasts Of war and the turning
topsy-turvy Of conditions Of living and
doing business.
Voters Also Demand Issues.
American voters have found them
selves" They will no longer be con-
tent with a political campaign waged
merely on petty pickering and fault
finding of one party with another.
The voters have been awakened-to
many abuses. to opportunities. to the
way in which their interests have
been gambled. to q better apprecia-
ton of the part each individual citi-
zen must play in peace as well a. In
war to make the country safe and
keep 1t so-safe from foreign aggres-
sion and from foes within.
The voters demand that the real Is
sue be met in the next campaign and
the political knights OF both parties
are coming to realize this and now
the issues.
Thus far no gallant knight has
arisen from the seat called "Perilous"
and ridden forth on the milk-white
steed as Sir Galahad. but they have
been riding their hobbies. such as
soldier settlement and vocational
education measures.
The other day when there was q
wireless demonstration on the Capitol
terrace and the world series base
ball bulletins were being flashed in It
was facetiously remarked that the
members were probably getting tips
from home how to bet on the ball
games. That wireless tower was q
symbol-that tho members had better
get flashes from all the states in the
Union and then prepare to meet the
real, vital Issue of today in q way
satisfactory to the people.
Some Of the Vital Questions.
How to pay the war obligations
without an increased strain upon the
pocketbooks Of tho people. how to
swing back from the orgy Of war
time extravaganza into ways Of fru-
gality for both government and peo-
Pile individually. how to avoid still
heavier taxation, how to practice
efficiency and economy-seem to be
Of the leaders are perplexed about but
they are swinging or on tangents in
every direction.
There is a much-muddled political
situation as a result. Many republic
ans. including some Of the so-called
leaders. are getting over on to old
time democratic ground and demo-
cratic stalwarts are breaking away
from what have been considered party
policies.
A good illustration Of how politics
is working is seen in the vocational
education bill. Just after Congress
had voted vocational rehabilitation
for the war-maimed. and while the
Secretary of the Treasury was warn
ing Congress that something like
10000. 900 more would be needed, and
while the war veterans own organ is
campaigning against the administra-
tive extravaganza Of the vocational
bureau. along comes Representative
S. D. Tess Of Ohio, chairman Of the
republican congressional committee,
with a general bill for vocational edu-
cation. House Leader Mondell takes
a firm stand on both feet behind this
bill. Former Speakers Cannon (repub-