Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-08
CONGRESSIONAL RIDERS
FACING THE HORSES TAIL
Bu, the Animal Is Headed Forward and Is
Determined to Go in That Direction

Bu, the Animal Is Headed Forward and Is
Determined to Go in That Direction
| THERE is no spectacle more pathetic
l. than that of the man who ties
bandagc over his own eyes lest he see
| what is going on about him. unless it be
! that Of the man who deliberately de-
stroys his own sight in order that he may
occupy his thoughts with things that
have been and may never be aware Of the
things that are and that are to be.
Certain politicians have bandagcd
their eyes in this great national and in
ternationsl crisis and certain others have
deliberately put out their sight. Unfor-
tunately many of these arc in the Repub
lican party, which will control legisla-
tion in Washington for the next two
years.
Some of them have already begun to
peer out from under their blindfoldng
and to discover that they are standing
still while the nation is moving forward.
They are now saying that they arc not
opposed to "A league of nations, but only
seek to assist in the organization of a
suitable league. Popularity is the breath
of life in their nostrils, and when they
discover that the mass of the people is
earnestly hoping for the pcrfectng Of
some plan which will prevent repetition
of the calamity of the last four years
and will allow the young men of America
to remain at home in their accustomed
vocations instead of being compelled to
face poison gas and machine guns an1
| hidden mines, these politicians will do
some more canny hedging and pray
heaven that every one may forget their
earlier lack of understanding. So much
| for our relations to international affairs.
There is group of Republican mem
bers of the House of Representatives
who have no more perception of the tenn
per of the voters than the obstructing
Senators have of the desire of the whole
world for All organization to prevent war
by negotiation and by pressure of threat
! ened force.
Every one took heart of hope when Gil
| lett was selected for the speakershp by
the Republican conference. The House
turned its back on Cannonism and
|
eyes and a courageous heart. But no
sooner was Gillett chosen than the reac-
tionaries, alert to retain what they could,
secured by parliamentary trick the ap-
! pointment of Committee on Commit
tees controlled by the friends of Mann
and the believers in the old system
| They boasted of their victory. They
grinned at Gillett as they said he might
have the speakership, but they would
dictate through the committees the policy
of the House.
And they are proceeding to out-Can-
non Cannonism itself by formally
adopting the seniority rule in the selec-
tion of committee chairmen, under which
many of the reactionaries, by virtue of
length of service, will appear as the
spokesmen for their party. When the
Speaker appointed the committees Cam
non himself disregarded the seniority
rule and put at the head of important
committees the best man for the place.
| The venerable and astute Illinoisan was
wise enough TO know that it was the
height of folly for any political party to
send a boy to do a mans work, no mat
ter how long the boy had been on the
job. But this Mann-dominated Commit
tee oil Committees, rejoicing at its sue
cess in putting something over on the
majority which elected Gillett seems to
be interested only in taking care of its
friends.
1t is not surprising, therefore, that
Representative Longworth should pro-
test. There are hundreds of thousands
of Republicans throughout the country
who will agree with him when he says,
''TO my mind the situation is sad beyond
expression" He says further that so far
as the organization of the House is
concerned we are not living in the spirit
of the Republican party today.
This son-in-law of Colonel Roosevelt
has sensed the situation with the keen
ness of political instinct of the colonel
himself. The congressional majority,
under the direction of the men whose
hands are on the steering gear, is now
headed backward instead of forward
But it is not too late to turn it about
and head it in the right direction. The
action of the committee is not final. II
must be ratified by the conference of al
the Republican members, which mean:
that the men who voted for Gillett fol
Speaker will have their say before tn,
party is finally committed to any
course.
The House will not be organized unit
it meets either in regular or in specia
session. In either event the members will
have al opportunity to discover the sen
timent of their constituents before the,
act. Fortunately for the country, tn,
President has refused 70 call Cnn1res