New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-04-18
HAYS RESTORING
PARTY HARMONY
AT WASHINGTON
PLEASED WITH RECENT
VISIT TO CAPITAL, LOOK.
ING- TO 1920 CAMPAIGN
TALKING SOLIDARITY,
NOT CANDIDATES
(Reprinted by permission of the New
York Evening Post.)

chairman of the Republican Nation
al Committee. has come, has seen,
and has gone away with the impress
sion that the Republicans in the
House are going to compose the r
differences and give the country an
example of constructive legislation in
the next session which will make the
party "go over the top" in 1920 as
it did in 1918.
Mr.. Hays found a ticklish situa-
tion and handled himself, as usual,
tactfully. lest the older heads in the
party get the idea he was unduly
meddl;ng Denials have been made
that Mr.. Hays sought to have the
steering committee enlarged, but
that's what is gong to happen event.
ually. and on that steering commit
tee will be representatives of labor
and of the farming interests. as we'll
as other elements from which the
Republican party hopes to derive its
strength in 1920.
Unquestionably Mr. Hays wants a
liberalization of the House steering
committee. These men are going to
control the fortunes Of the party in
the next Congress. and the Republi-
can National Chairman has a very
vital interest in whether the men
who are selected have the capacity
and the vision to deal with changing
America.
Party solidarity is what Mr.. Hays
is trying suavely and quitely to bring
about and there is much significance
in his trip to Washington, for with
special session beginning toward
the end of May or thereabouts, there
is little time for the Republicans to
get together and agree upon pro-
grammes Of legislation In the mean
time, Mr.. Hays himself is losing no
time in making systematic study
through a body of experts of the
various questions VIII ch the Repub.
licans will endeavor to solve in the
next Congress, for every practical
polite an knows that the country
in 1920 will Judge the Republican
party not by what it did in the days
of Cannon or Aldr;ch but what it
did in the two trying years Of re-
construction which are ahead.
As for the League of Nations as
an issue, Republicans are not dis.
turbed. Mr.. Taft's warm espousal
of the League and the stand taken
by men like W:ckersham and Root
will. they contend, prevent the DEM
ocrats from making it a party issue.
Much satisfaction is derived espec-
tally from the letter sent by Elihu
Root. Press dispatches from Paris
saying the Root amendments arc
meeting with favor there will tend
to strengthen the impression that
the Republicans have. in measure,
assisted in making the League Of
Nations a vital international body.
As for the signers Of the round
robin" ratification of the treaty it.
self will be the answer to that, and
no Republican of prominence is to-
day predicting the failure Of the
Senate to ratify the compact that
may be eventually presented to the
upper house. This is largely due to-
the cables from abroad saying that
the covenant is being rewritten to
meet Republican objection.
Mr.. Hays reveals on the whole.
therefore, an optimism about the
outlook of the Republican party. His
talks with the various leaders there
have been earnest and persuasive.
His plans Of campaign organization
are meeting with favor. His hand
is on the political pulse of the coun-
try constantly, and if the Republican
leaders in Congress are indifferent
to his observations Of public sent;-
ment and the trend Of thought OF
the nation as it is brought to him
through thousands of political eyes
and ears in various parts of the
country. then they will court defeat.
The Republican national chairman
doesn't talk candidates. He talks
party solidarity. Unless the Repub-
lican party is unit it will not be
able to put through constructive
programme in the next two years be-
cause time will be lost in b'ckerings
and squabbles. Unless there is har-
mony the Democratic party, which is
united, will take advantage of the
dissens ;ons and divisions. AS party
of opposition. the Republicans are
inclined to be pleased with them
selves They claim TO have been the
real war party during the war not
withstanding that the Democratic
partv controlled the Government
They insist that by persistently
shouting about more vigorous pros
ecution OF the war and enlargement
of the army they blazed the way TO
victory and set the pace for the dom
inant party.
Now, as the Peace Treaty is being
wrought, the Suggestions Of Mr.
Knox ard Mr.. Root for compulsory
arbitration and preservation of the
Monroe Doctrine are looked upor Is
strategicallv sound moves 20 which
the Republican party may hone toi