The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-03

WASHINGTON. D. c.. May Tho
government ownership faction in the nd
ministration arc rccling under blow
dealt them from an unexpected quarter
II never having occurred to them lnhl
the President might change his nina
on their pet theory, too. For ioS1-
master General Buricson II was dow
over the heart, at a tune that BurlcSoh 5
heart action was low anyway from AT
lacks from all quarters that ne TntOae
a Door hand at defending. What the
President did was TO order the cables
turned hack TO their owners and TO
pave the way for as speedy return oil
the telephone and telegraph lines as
Congress can provide for when 1t meets
II was never the intention of the govern
ment ownership crowd that this should
haDpcn. but il WAS their idea that once
The government had control under INC
wartime laws government ownership
would inevitably follow. The wires
were to be the opening wedge, and then
the next step would be ownership or the
railroads They sec now that the Presi-
dent has touched match TO their pro-
gram and it is going up in smoke.
This wis the big surprise Of the week
IN Washington. Tho President while
keeping in the background. was totted
ND by the government ownership crowd
as leaning at a more than 1ort!-nfc
degree angle toward their pet panacca'
They were proceeding on the theory that
they were doing that which was pleas
ing in tho sight of tn" master. Iherc-
FORE their surprise. chagr'n ana ols-
appointment may he easily imagined
now that orders were cahleG F:om Far1s
to hand back the cables at once ana
get ready to hand back IN" telephone
and telegraph lines at an early datc.
He cut tho wires under the BurlcSon
crowd. so to speak.
short while back il was pretty
much all the talk here that government
ownership was to be ono Of the planks
in tho next Democratic platform IL.
after = fight over il. which was OF
course expected. the So-call"d socialist
faction Of the party dominated. Wilson,
lit was declared. belonged Ia that ad-
vanrnd group. II was freely and lr"-
Qucnlly predicted that this would be the
rock upon which the Democratic party
would duplicate the split Of 1896 mo
prophets, il seems failed To take into
account Il most important thing 10 wit
The we'll known habit Of our wei KNOWN
President for changing his MIND I" SUIT
the occasion and fit the opportunity.
Opportunism, Wilson critics assert, ~
the big factor in his bag OF tricks.
And they still dcrlarc--thr party pronh-
cts and not tn" Critics-that the con-
! vcniinn will 20 to the mat over social
istic theories anyway. and may split IN
twain even at that.
Government ownership. for That is
virtually what tho country has had IN
! tho matter Of rails and wires. has been
~ proven complete failure. according 10
the statement OF a vast majority OF inc
leaders of both parties, and the pubic.
which bases its judgment on results
have readily enough perceived IN" lack
Of them. and arc against II. The S"ntl-
ment of the country has risen to Il high
tide against Rurlcson and his pet theory.
against government ownership in any
form. and The President. il * well known.
has hcrn duly advised of ii. He acted
and acted quickly. 1t is ASo stated
In administration circles that~thc PrcSi-
don't is anxious to clear tho decks OF rs
many obstacles making for public I'M
rest, discomfort and the unPopuarity
Of his administration. as he can clear
away before arriving home 10 start his
ampaign to force the ratification of
his League OF Nations by tho Senate.
Whatever his idea. outside of the gov
crrmcnt ownership faction. his action
is applauded as a good one. promptly
taken at a most appropriate time.
What effect this Is to have on the
political fortunes Of Albert Sidney Bur-
lcson observers in Washington arc UNI
able to agree on. This much. however.