Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-09
The Straw and the Tide

| \ FEW days ago the Twenty-Second Penn
| sylvania District held an election to fill
vacancy in the House Two years before.
| Edward E. Robbins, a Republican had been
elected by that district with majority of
about 1000. Last fall Mr.. Robbins was re-
elected with a majority of nearly 5000 The
district is overwhelmingly Republican, 1t
has been so since the Civil War No Demo-
! cratic candidate ever has been regarded as
anything more than an unfortunate creature
saddled with an empty honor and obligated
by misguided friends to carry on homeless
campaign.
When this special election came a new
issue was injected into the fight John NJ.
Jamison, the Republican nominee and a for
mer State Senator. took his cue from the
Republican leaders at Washington and bit
terly assailed the Presidents program for
n league of nations. He tore the leagues
constitution to pieces. He assaulted the
American who dared to approve that ne
farous measure in the name Of the Amer
lean people and he dared his Democratic
opponent, John E. Wilson, to stand forth
as a man and as Pennsylvania and defend
| SO outrageous a policy before any BODY OF
intelligent and patriotic citizens of the
district.
This same Wilson-mark the name-ac-
copied that challenge. He went before every
duuiehce ne could muster in the district
and told 1t that he was not only cham
plon OF league of nations, but that he was
ardent in his advocacy of it; that he he
lieved it to be the hope Of the future and
| the salvation of the worlds civilization. Then
came the vote and after the vote came an
appalling revelation. More than & 0OO
! voters in that single district changed their
! politics within five short months Wilson was
elected by nearly 500 majority, the first
Democrat to be sent to Congress by that
constituency since the days Of Thaddeus
| Stevens.
There Is something significant perhaps
'hey may regard 1t as sinister. for the Re-
| publican leaders in Washington and else
where to contemplate in this election re-
suit These leaders evidently believed when
they sought to bind and gag President Will
son upon his league OF nations policy that
| tney had seized upon an issue which would
| ""eep them into power in 1920 and yet
"hen the first election takes place since the
forcing OF this issue, they find Themselves
stunned by the action Of the voters II NAV
not be too late for them to get from under.
oul IL VIII be too late il they persist in
oeiea'ihs the treaty, which they must vote
upon within few more months. simply
because IL embodes league OF nations
------------=---
When the German monarchy was over.
thrown General Ludcndorn took counsel O,
MS lcars and fled to Denmark for safety
| me DahiSh government since has served no.
t'ce en- MIN mat his presence in that country
:" uhuesiraoic. other neutral countries like
wise are unwilling to offer him refuge So
mere Is nothing left for the former German
chlet Oh stan TO do but to return to hi.
own country and take chances on being pun
lshed by his own countrymen for the par
nc prayed in bringing the war and ther
sustaining defeat. In n communication tr
president Ebert he declares his innocence OF
humerous> charges lodged against him ant
ASKS Tor court OF inquiry, that he ma,
wrest from 1t the virdication 10 which h,