Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-31
PLAIN VIEW OF
AFFAIRS IN u. S.
GIVEN WILSON
Senator Gives President
Unvarnished Truth
Prices Big Factor.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,


! Copyright 1919. by The Argus
Washington, D. c., July 81
President Wilson has learned the
plain, unvsrnished truth about the
status of the Democratic party in
the nation, and particularly some
pertinent facts about the interest
of the American people in domestic
problems. Mr.. Wilson has been in
Europe for seven months absorbed
in questions of American foreign
policy. Homer s. Cummings, chair
man of the Democratic national
committee, has been out in the
United States for two months alb
sorbed in an inquiry on domestic
sentiment.
The president has had a confer
ence with Mr.. Cummings. Its i'm
portance is not simply political for
there is no election Immediately
ahead and the president himself is
not going to be a candidate for a
third term. But what Mr. Cum
mings learned about the prestige of
the Democratic administration is
vitality related to the League of
Nations controversy.
Cummings Speaks Plainly.
Naturally Mr.. Cummings wouldn't
discuss what he said to the presi-
dent but he is the type of man
who doesn't hesitate to speak plain
ly and frankly about weak spots f
he finds any. He has stated in a
public interview that the sentiment
of the country in his opinion ia
vor5 the League of Nations. But
has found is that on such abstract
questions of foreign policy as a
highly complex peace treaty and
covenant, the average man follows
leaders. And he follows the lead
ersh4p of men in whom he has faith.
Since Mr.. Wilson has been in Eu-
rope, domestic problems have been
bulking larger and larger and the
demand for a lower cost of living
has been growing. Also the de-
mand for the removal of incom-
petent cabinet officers and parti-
cularly an. unfavorable opinion If
Postmaster General Burleson be-
cause of his attitude toward labor
and his management of the postal
service have been getting more and
more pronounced. Seeing Mr.. VIII
son inactive on domestic problems
which the average man thinks are
more acute than foreign policies,
the faith of the voter is inclined to
be shaken. Mr.. Wilson would have
been stronger with American pub
lie opinion today and the Repub-
lican opposition to the League of
Nations and peace treaty would
never have grown so bold if the
president had begun to reform the
Democratic party from within and
had especially before the last cleo
tions clearly taken issue with
those in congress who were plsilly
out of harmony with his policies
but who led the party into various
avenues on taxation that helped to
overturn the Democratic party last
Must Get at Home Problems.
Very little has been done by the
Democratic administration to cor
rect the abuses which were funda-
mental in the public's mandate last
November The same cabinet re-
mains. The same attitude on the
part of cabinet members toward s
domestic questions is every dag
the strength of Presi- |
lent Wilson who is held RESPONSE |
be for the acts of the subordinates |
whom he appoints
What Mr.. Cummings undoubted- |
y will tell the president is that to |
get back in the same strong posi- |
ion which hr. Wilson occupied |
when by the aid of a powerful !
public opinion he put through the |
ederal reserve act or even the re- |
oeal of the Panama canal tolls. lie I
must remove the causes of com 4
)laint on problems that touch the
tverage man much more closely
low than the prevention of future |
vars.
Finds Prices Big Factor.
Mr.. Cummings has been chair
nan of the Democratic national
ommittee only since last autumn !
lut he is of the conscientious kind
Who will not feed Mr.. Wilson op-
imism when he knows that the sit
Iation is not as rosy it seems or
must be painful in the formal in
erviews that national chairmen
i've. No better friend of Mr.. Will
on than Mr. Cummings ever man
ged a campaign for him. 1 am
Informed moreover by the Demo-
ratio chairman himself that the
ublished report of a letter al
eyed to have been written by him
peaking in an unfEiendly tone
the presidents absence
4 Europe is not only unfounded
ut absurd.
Mr.. Cummings has visited the
rincipal cities of the west. He
nds the idea of a league of ma
ions popular with the masses. He
nds the people very much dis I
lrbed over the soaring prices of
bod Naturally Mr. Cummings is ;
uick to point out that the Repub-
- ., |