Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-31
BY EDGAR c. SNYDER.
(Staff Correspondent, The Omaha Bee,,


Washington, d. c., March 3d.
Some of the very exclusive brethren
resided in the Back Bay district OF
Boston and in the more provincial
precincts of the Bronx are inclined
to refer to our new western floor
leader, Congressman Mondell OF
Wyoming, as reactionary. When
folks in the sections allowed men
toned refer to any one as being re-
dictionary, there is reason, indeed,
for giving the matter serious con-
sideration. One does not need to
probe very deeply, however, to dis
cover the animu in these down east
criticisms, because, first, it's nearly
impossible for a provincial from
Boston and darkest New York to
believe that any good thing can
come out of the country west of the
Mississippi river, and, second, they
cannot realize that man from the
wide and breezy west can take a
broad and national view of ques-
tons, such as the tariff, rather than
the narrow, selfish view of a GER
tain class of manufacturers. 1t is,
by the same token, pretty difficult
for some OF the newspapers from the
large cities of the east to look with
favor on one who believes suffrage
and prohibition.
Attacks Are Unwarranted.
OF course, it would not do at all
to attack the new floor leader on
the ground that he stood for these
things, but the use of "reactionary"
and like terms, it is hoped, will
serve the purpose of discrediting
where a direct attack which exposed
them hard might fail utterly, and
SO the criticisms are crouched in
concealed anathemas oyer Mr.
Mondell's selection.
OF this I am certain, Rep. Frank
Mondell proposes to be floor leader
for the majority and not faction
of the majority. He proposes to
help put the statute books con-
structive legislation that will be of
immense benefit to the people OF
the United States, and he invites
suggestions from every republican
member as to how best to bring
about these very important things,
If the republican party is to retain
the confidence of the nation.
Servant of Majority.
Mondell has no obsessions. He
is the servant of the majority and
as such he proposes to have the
confidence of the majority to the
end that capable team work will
show in the legislation enacted.
The other day l had occasion to
talk with Mr.. Mondell over the
great problems that confront the
Doth congress, and incidentally OBJ
served that the short session of con-
gress was entirely too short if ap-
preparation bills were to be given
anything like the consideration they
demanded.
In speaking Of this and other
things Mr.. Mondell said:
"We have heard a great deal since
congress adjourned as to the re-
sponsibility for the failure of the de-
ficiency appropriation bill and six
of the large annual supply bills pro-
viding for the support of various
departments of the government for
the fiscal year beginning July / next.
The democrats have very naturally
endeavored to place the responsible
ity for the failure of these bills upon
certain republican senator's who are
claimed to have conducted a fill
buster which resulted in the failure
to consider these.
Blames Democrats for Failure.
"The fact is, that the majority is
always responsible for what occurs
in the carrying out of the legislative
program and the democratic ma
jority is therefore responsible for the
failure of these bills. Had the legis-
lative program been pushed along
from the very beginning of the ses-
sion and disposed of promptly first
in the house and then in the senate
it would not have been within the
power of anyone to have defeated
any considerable portion of the pro-
gram.
Zone or two bills might have been
caught in the log jam at the close
of the session, but proper hand