Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-23
By EDGAR c. SNYDER.
(Staff Corr


Now that the record of the o5th
congress, the "War Congress as
historicans will classify it, has been
made up, it is wonderfully interest
ing to find, in leafing through the
pages of the congressional record,
that the representatives from Ne
braska in the congress that but re-
Gently expired, "Sine Deo," with
out God, as Vice President Mar
shall put it, played no incense
quential part in its proceedings
during the two years it occupied
the supreme attention of the world.
OF the three democrats from Ne
braska who went down to defeat
last November, aided in a large de-
gree by the presidents ill-advised
letter calling upon the nation to
give him congress of his own
stripe otherwise. it would be re-
garded in European countries as
reputation of his administration,
probably Representative Shallen-
berger participated more frequently
in the debates than did either of his
colleagues, Stephens and Lobeck,
for the very good reason, that mat
tiers relating to the war were up
permost. And yet all three demo-
Gratis gave good account of them
selves and so far as they could
sense public opinion fairly ex-
pressed the viewpoint of Nebraska
in their votes on the great problems
that were uppermost in the con-
gress that expired by constitutional
limitation on March 4.
Good Average Congressman.
Representative Lobeck did not
make an enduring reputation as a
statesman but he can with truth be
classed as an average congressman.
Early and late c. o. Lobeck worked
for the interests of his constituents.
He was continually on the go for
them and if it be a reflection upon
representative to act as messen-
ger boy for the people of his dis
trict> Charley Lobeck was placed
in that unenviablc position by. those
who sought his influence and his
help, both of which he ungrudging-
ly gave to those who applied for
assistance. And he was nonpar-
tisan to very large degree
throughout his eight years of service
in the lower house.
Both Shallenberger and Stephens
were larger in the public eye than
Lobeck, because of their more ad-
vantageous committee assignments,
Shallenberger ranking next to the
chairman on military affairs and
Stephens an earnest worker on in
terstate and foreign commerce.
But the commanding figure in
the Nebraska delegation. who re-
tired on March 4, was easily Con-
gresham Charles H. Sloan Of Gem
eva, who leaves behind him a splen-
did record during the eight years
he represented the Fourth Nebraska
district. A day or two before ad-
lournment Sloan told the house that
he hoped to be, as all the soldier
boys ought to be, going home to
the old job, and that Shortly he
would be found looking after his
farm near the old home, morning
and evening, in his law office from
8 a. m. to f p. M, and then devote
his spare time to such work as
might present itself.
Mr.. Sloan centered his energies
on the great agricultural district he
represented.
Surprise on Tariff.
On the tariff relating to agricul-
ture Sloan brought a surprise to the
country in developing the right to
protection of northwest farm
products, disclosing what the peo-
pie of the northwest did not appre-
ciate and the east and south refused
to consider, that under the Dingley
and Payne laws-Schedule G Qarm
products)-was the one which con-
stantly increased in money and
rank among the schedules as to VOL
ume of importations and increase of
revenue for the treasury.
7 No man in the house, not a men,
Der of the committee on agriculture,
enjoyed the confidence of that COM
mittee, or the house membership, to
greater degree than did Mr.. Sloan
on agricultural subjects. When the
tuberculosis appropriation was un-
der consideration that he received
series of commendat tons from
leaders on both sides Of the house
seldom accorded to member.
Sloan was known as one of the
hardest working men in congress.
He ran the gauntlet of committees
from the most modest to the highest,
ways and means, being the only re-
publican from Nebraska ever at
tanning that position, and was recog-
nized' as a factor to be reckoned
with in that committee because he
had the facts and the courage to
press them there and on the floor
of the house.
Ready DICTATOR.
In the house he was recognized
as a ready debator and what is
greatly to his credit, he never spoke
to diminishing audience. A glance
over his record of speeches will
show the manifestations of approval
more frequent than almost any
other one of the distinguished de-
bators of the house.
If anything, Sloan's last session
was the busiest of his career. Last
fall he was defeated for the senator
ial nomination, a race he entered
believing that his industry and
ability would be of value to his
state and the northwest in the wide
field. When defeated he did not
sulk for a minute, but among other
things delivered speech on the
floor of the house on cotton, wheat,
agricultural products and southern
control, which was circulated m the
last campaign more than any other
one document sent out by the Ma
tional renuhlican and con ore sion a |