Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-04
LOST RECESS
STIRS COP.
Forced by Wilson to Aban-
don Vacation Repubs.
Are "Peeved."
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
(Copyright. 1919. BY The Argus

Washington, Aug. 4.-President
Wilson used TO make the Demo-
cratic majority stay in Washington
in midsummer and share with him
the burdens of a complex govern
ment and the fact that congress is
dominated in both houses by Re
/ publicans hasn't feazed him a bit
! He will not let either Democrats
or Republicans take advantage of
+ the months recess carefully plan
ned by the house leaders. He
wants congress to stay on the job
and tackle the high cost of living
and wage troubles.
Imagine how you would feel
whether you are a congressman or
not to have your summer vacation
all planned and then have the boss
suddenly say you can't go. Mem
bers of the house feel that way to-
day.
Repubs Forced Extra Session.
AS for the suggestion that the
railroad situation is critical, and
that the Republicans wanted this
extra session and used parliament
tary methods to cause Mr.. Wilson
to convene the Republican con-
gress, individual members of the
house were so taken aback by the
presidents brief message asking
for a postponement of the recess
that many petulantly scored the
administration from Mr. Wilson
down for paying wage increases to
the railroads in the beginning and
starting the cycle. Some members
thought the president was trying
to wriggle out of the hole into
which the alleged mismanagement
of the railroads has carried the
government but other members
thought they saw grave possibili-
ties in ignoring the presidents re-
quest. Senator Cummins, chair
man of the senate committee. and
representative Esch of the house
committee, charged with railroad
affairs, have been in conference
with Walker D. Hines, director
general of railroads, and know that
there are some menacing situations
involved which cannot be post
poned without some assurance of
definite settlement.
Afraid To Be Away.
OF course the two congressional
committees can sit and formulate
legislation and present the same
to the two houses of congress a
month hence but would that re-
lieve the Republican party of the
responsibility of being absent from
Washington at so critical a time?
President Wilson has had harsh
words flung at him for absenteeism
and the country has here and
there nodded approval so the Re
pubIicans would not want to con-
vict themselves of the same error
in strategy.
If it hadn't been true that the
railroad situation was in a bad
mess and needed immediate ac-
ton, accusations would have been
poured out in abundance against
the president for breaking in on
Republican plans and endeavoring |
to draw the country's attention to
the departure of the Republican |
house. But the railroad troubles |
have been of spontaneous origin !
and the decision to pass the buck
to congress is in line with the pol +
icy begun at the outset of the pres |
ent session when Mr.. Wilson said |
plainly that he had nothing to rec
ommend concerning the solution of |
the railroad problem.
Demos. Saw Advantage.
On the part of the Democrats, !,
the determination of the Republi-
cans in the house to quit Wash
ington with the railroad question
still pending, has been viewed as a
political advantage of no small /
value.
But It is ineonceivabie that the
will play into Demo-
cratic hands by side-stepping the
big domestic problems laid before
them.
The president wants action from
both houses of congress. The sem
ate is debating the peace treaty
and League of Nations. The Co
lombian treaty awaits action. Will
the senate turn from the peace
treaty to the railroad question and
the cost of living? MIR. Wilson is in
the strategic position of forcing
the issue He has the whiphaad.
His part in the peace negotiations
was finished when he signed the
peace treaty. He is virtually ready
to take up domestic problems.
Burden of Delay on Senate.
Responsibility for any delay in
ratifying the peace treaty must
TALL in his opinion, on the senate.
The president himself is getting
ready for an appeal to the people
He is trying to clear decks and put
Ill the problems that require leg
[CARtinuad on PasR Te1