Evening star., 1919-04-03
HAyS0PT|M|ST|C
ON c. 0.P. OUTLOOK
Chairman Believes Republic
an Differences Will Be
Smoothed Out.
LEAGUE ISSUE PLEASES
nv DAVID LAWRENCE.

nv DAVID LAWRENCE.
Will lays. chairman of the repub-
lican national committee. has come.
has seen and has gone away with the
Impression that the republicans in the
House are going to compose their dif-
ferences and give the country an eN-
ample of constructive Legislation in
the next session which will make the
party go over the top in 1920 as it did
in 1918.
MIR. Hays found a ticklish situation
ana handled himself. usual, tact
fully lest the older heads in the party
get the idea he was unduly meddling.
Enlarged COMMITTEES Predicted.
Denials have been made that Mr.
Hays sought to have the steering
committee enlarged, but that is what
Is going to happen eventually. and on
that steering committee will be rep
resentatfves OF labor and OF the farm
ing interests as we'll as other ele-
ments from which the republican
party hopes to derive its strength in
1920. Unquestionably Mr.. Hays wants
committee. These men are going to
control the fortunes of the party in
the next Congress, and the republican
national chairman has a very vital
interest in whether the men selected
have the capacity and the vision to
deal with changing America
Party solidarity is what Mr. Hays
is trying suavely and quietly to bring
about and there is much significance
in his trip to Washington. for with
special session beginning toward the
end of May or Whereabouts there is
together and agree upon programs of
legislation. In the meantime. Mr..
Hays himself is losing no time in
making a Systematic study through
a body OF experts of the various Ques-
tions which the republicans will en-
deavor to solve in the next Congress.
for every practical politician knows
that the country in 1920 will Judge
the republican party not by what it
did in the days OF Cannon or Al6r.:h.
but what it did in the two trying years
OF reconstruction which are ahead.
League as Issue Is Not Disturbing.
AS for the league Of nations as an
issue, republicans are not disturbed.
Mr.. Tafts warm espousal of the
ersham and Root will. they contend.
prevent the democrats from making it
party issue. Much satisfaction is
derived especially from the letter sent
by E1ihu Root. The press dispatches
from Paris saying the Root amend
will tend to strengthen the impress
sion that the republicans have in
measure assisted in making the
league of nations a vital international
body.
As for the signers Of the round
self will be the answer to that. and
no republican of prominence is today
predicting the failure Of the Senate
to ratify the pact that may be even
This is largely due to the cables
from abroad saying that the covenant
is being rewritten to meet republican
objection.
Optimism Is Revealed.
Mr.. Hays reveals on the whole
therefore an optimism about the out
look Of the republican party. His
talks with the various leaders here
have been earnest and persuasive.
His plans of campaign organization
are meeting with favor.
His hand is on the political pulse
Of the country constantly and IL the
republican leaders in Congress are
Indifferent to his observations Of pub
lie sentiment and the trend of thought
Of the nation as it Is brought to him
through thousands of political eyes
and ears in various parts of the coun-
try. then they will court defeat. The
republican national chairman doesn't
talk candidates. He talks party
solidarity. Unless the republican
party is a unit. it will not be able
to put through a constructive pro-
gram in the next two years. because
: time will be lost in chickering's and
souabbles. Unless there is harmony
the democratic party, which is united,
will take advantage of the dissen-
sions and divisions.
: AS party of opposition the repub-
.Hcans are inclined to be pleased with
themselves. They claim to have been
the real war party during the war
notwithstanding that the democratic
party controlled the government
They insist that by persistently shout
Ing about more vigorous prosecution
of the war and enlargement Of the
Army they blazed the way to victory
and set the pace for the dominant
party. Now. as the peace treaty is
being wrought. the suggestions Of
Mr.. Knox and Mr.. Root for compulaory
arbitration and a preservation of the
Monroe doctrine are looked upon as
!. .strategicaliy sound moves. to which
the republican party may hope to
point with pride when the not fa-
distant days of pointing With pride
come to pass.
Copyright. 1913 BY y. T. Evening pe,t. J.c ,