Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-16
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS
,(Special to The Bulletin.l

terwoven. Its mostly a case of reading l between the lines. Take. for instance the alleged break between. President Wilson and Col. House, which if true, may affect the coming campaign. for 1 Col. House has been the power behind ths throne in the Wilson aaministfa- ton. The president says nethlng-- neither does Col. House. The secre- tary to the president is quoted as say ing. Why that story has been denied hundred times" yet he did not deny it authoritatiyely so far as can be learned. Texas friends of Col. House state with great ppsitivensss that there is no doubt such a breach exists; other
 men who claim to know it all. are eagerly diselain7ing the truth of the statement. The very general opinion, is however. that there Is as decided strain in the relations between the president and his former Man Friday
 and this is apparently sustained by the failure of Col, House to visit the pres-
 ident since his return to the United States.
 On equally slender threads hang the question Of the presidents health. for except much better" no official knowl- edge is spread abroad.
 |. It is doubtful if action will be taken on the pending peace resolutions be- fore the Christmas recess beginning, according to present plans December
 20th-although' there again. all is problematieal, Democratic support for tsthe Knox proposal to accept the peace treaty minus it's league of nations features, has gained headway, and it may be that course will be taken with 1 unexpected speed, It would receive the almost unanimous support of anti | treaty men of both parties and many league supporters are ready to endorse 1 it. If the treaty as it now stands can not be adopted.
 The meeting here of the republican | national committee and state chairmen was the feature of the past week
 Presidential candidates were drought l out, trotted up and down after careful grooming; their chances as winners
 freely discussed; their good points brought to the front; then, at a word 1 from Chairman Hays, they were wrap 1 ped in warm blankets and put to bed l for ''rest cure" treatment till policies and platforms are decided on. This
 does not mean that the Wood boom, 1 the Harding boom, the Coolidge boom 1 or the smaller boomlets are dead. Not
 a bit of it. Their campaign managers
 are as alert and confident as ever, but although few leaders disagreed with ] this course of action the great majori- ty approve it, and ii was carried. The | republicans showed -conclusively that they are out to win and that ii will be who can command votes on platform
 Of Amerieanism, law and order, sound
 business principles and reduction of
 the cost of living that is likely to
 name thes candidate. rather than loud shouting at the present moment. The
 issue of the campaign cannot be named
 at this moment, for the fate of the league of nations will decide our for eign policy. which must also figure
 largely in selection of a candidate. The 1 special committee and council O
 twelve appointed at the meeting vii
 conduct both open and pussy foot cam, paigns to see just where the land lies and at the convention in June it vii s be the man who can command tn,
 strongest following. and whose reoort is clean, that will be put at the heat , of the ticket, unless all signs fail. Kim :, and Rorehaek were both on the groun, constantly. the farmer in charge of th ] Wood campaien. Connecticut member of c0n"reTs also spent much time O, s i the side lines. John T, King. as ra II tional committeeman was placed oH tn a ] finance committee and also on the ey : l-aeut1ye committee, Other New Eng : flanders getting high positions on cora | itlLttts WFtC 4hlhtdN crane MES SSSl : l chusetts Fsterbrook New Hamnshirt q Sweet of Maine and Kingsley of Rhod l. 1 Island
 e The conference between the Massa . ehusetts Industries association an members of the New England congres r, sienal delegation held Friday nigh , proved extremely interesting. Its pur pose was to discuss the pending rail road bills and see just how their enact s ment into law would affect New Eng
 land industries, Commenting on tn $, meeting Congressman Merritt said 9Th h conference was a representative un
 both from the view neint Of the or
 ganization and congress. There wer v presented facts and figures to sho4 y the difficulty and extra eXpense unde e which railroads in New England mus 3 operate ewins to the fact that the hat a in New England is necessarily shor f and that all care must practically loa f and unload in New England. T ' equalize, New England reads mus therefore be allowed a proper pro $ portion of all joint rates to cover thei o terminal charges and demurrage O 0 cars. All speakers emphasized the nee v of adequate revenue, not only in tf n interest of the roads but to procure a ', l adequate transporta tion system, "M Merritt. as did all men who attende
 the meeting; referred to the address
 Senator Kellogg who showed great aT IS nreciation of the necessities Of Ne - England and whose speech was rt
 garded as 3 very complete explana
 tion of the situation. Mir. Kellogg is
 member of the interstate commerc ln committee and his views will carr at great weight in the senate now cor
 sidering the Cummings bill.
 k~ IL coal administrator has stirred up COT II siderable doubt as to the wisdom of u
 presidents plan of dealing with u
 matter. Dr. Garfield made many nov, tn that seemed impraeticable during la ne winters famine, but he had the eol a. fidence of congress as to his inSisten
 that the people. the industries and u
 public generally should be preteete
 So when he condemns the president SC proposed commission, official Washin sy ton sits up and takes notice. In ia, te congress is getting rather suspicio
 of more commissions especially wh
 they give added power to the presidel zz Very few persons outside official Ii .+ realize the absolute power to contr
 industries and all policies which lies A' tn hands of the president under wa
 time legislation. The coal strike; t
 sugar famine; our relations with Me T. ico, the fate Of the peace Urea 6 whether or not the railroads are to es thrust back into private ownersf
 without safeguards to the public
 the owners of the roads. rest entire e. in presidential hands this nome ir together with the solution of all ws =. time and reconstruetien problem ny That may seem an overdrawn stat
 ment, but 1t is true. Under the pres
 ure of war necessities congress pass ep stringent war time regulations whi tin are still in force, givinq unheard