The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-01-31
SAME OLD CHAMP.

Champ Clark is a candidate for the
Democratic nomination for president
If he gets it he will never be elect
ed. The Democrats couldn't win
with him. He is the same old Champ
with demagogic instincts that served
to keep him in congress- from a Mis-
souri, district so many years but which
will never appeal to the nation as
whole. After a sample of the VII
son type of president there will never
be a place for a Champ Clark type,
be he Democrat or Republican. And
the speaker of the house barely got
back to congress from his Missou-
ri district, which is an indication that
after SO many years of being shown
even they are about to see.
The best that can be said for Speak
er Clark is that after he did every
thing he could prudently do to block
the Presidents leadership as the ma
ton was being drawn into the war he
shut his mouth and maintained a COM
mendable silence. We do not recall
any especially rash act committed by
him during the war and he played the
part of true American. His son went
into the service and made good sol
der.
But being the same old Champ it
was impossible for him to keep silent
after the crisis had passed. So he has
broken out again with demagogic
puff that he expects to swell the sails
OF his presidential aspirations. 1t was
his son In the army that afforded him
an excuse for that piffle about his boy
not being over there to tear down
fences" and "police Europe" He prob
ably thinks that sort of stuff will ap-
peal to the soldiers and win their
votes and the votes of their fathers
Everybody wants the soldiers
brought home as soon as possible. No
body wants them kept in Europe un.
necessarily. But neither the soldiers
nor their folks at home are going to
countenance any encouragement of a
spirit of INSTRUMENTATION or of resent
ment against the performance of a
duty.
The war Is not over, even though the
armistice has been signed and the
peace conference is in session. There
is still work ahead for the American
soldiers in Europe. They went over
there to do a good job and they don't
want to come home until it is finished.
II in the finishing it is necessary for
some OF them to tear down fences"
and police Europe those who are
assigned to that unpleasant and un-
thrilling task will perform it with as
much devotion to duty as those who
had the more heroic task of breaking
the Hindenburg line.
Champ Clark's protest was untimely
because the American soldiers are be-
ing brought home as rapidly as ships
can be found to transport them. There
has been no evidence of a desire on
the part Of the war department to
keep any OF them over there any long
er than is necessary. 1t is a weari-
some wait for those who are doing
nothing but can't get ships to return
on. But they are not complaining. 1t
is part of their hardships that they
are willing to bear and for which the
American people honor them in their
endurance.
Necessarily large number of Amer
lean troops will be kept in Europe I'm
til. the war is over in fact as well as
in appearance. Some of them may be
there many more months. But the
probability is that those who are kept
there will be the ones who choose to
stay. Champ Clark's son, if he wants
to come home to his father, will be
sent home just as soon as it is his
turn to embark on the limited num-
Der Of transports available. But the
probability is that the young Clark is
not nearly so anxious to get home as
papa would have congress believe.
For one reason he doesn't have to be
near the old man when Champ is play
ing the demagog. There are worse
things to bear on this side than tear
ing down fences in Europe.
RUSSIAN REPRESENTATION.
Acceptance by the Supreme War