Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-19
REPUBLICANS PLANNING
FOR PROBING CAR0usAL
Forthcoming Congress to BE Carni.
val or Grllling and
~, Torture.
ADMINISTRATION UNDER FIRE
mouse Committees VIII Seek Facts
ana Basis for the Various Charges
Tint Arc Being Hurled Back and
Forth,


WASHINGTON. March ls.-rhc
lViihcoming session Of Congress Is TO
ne succession OF Investigations It
10 be n carnival OF probes There
VIII be gr;liing without end. There
VII be drawing and ouar;ering. Tor
turc vii! be applied In tic usual re-
Hird fashion in the search OF facts
ana If the facts arc not satisfying.
lheh fancies Will have TO do, so LONG
as thcy damn The Democrats party.
Thc Republican caucus in the new
lio"sc has given full and free notice OF
TIC roman holiday they are about TO
stage. They have let i: he known that
'hcy viii bore TO tho very bottom of
| tho present administration in their de-
| domination to show IL up. They Win
| pursue Inquiries TO tho last ditch In
Their campaign of pitiiess pubiic.ty
ANYTHING TO do with the government
o, the United states during the past
six years
10 this end they have created :; piece
OF pract.ccd machinery. They have
named series Of expenditures" com
mittces, ard have endowed those COM
HlttccS with fuil powers. And just as
soon as the President has tho hardi-
hood TO asscmhl. Congress in extra
session these bloodhound bodies are
gong upon the trail OF graft, Of mis-
arrangement. OF uI.ladministration, of
otahoers. both naked and clothed, and
o. all The other faults ana foIlics OF
inc. governing regime.
itEl'IHLINANS FOLLOWING
EXAMPLE, OF DEMOCRATS
In taking This step. it mus, be ad
!nlltcd, the Republicans arc but fol-
owing Il late example Of their OPP
p,SS,n " 1t WAS no longer ago than
LEW "nen the Democrats took control
" thc House that a similar Scrics Of
Investigations was ordered. The same
expenditures committees, not one OF
winch had functioncd beyond the en-
pioyment OF Il clerk prior 10 that time.
suddenly burst forth aS the instru-
nchtaiities OF "a grand inauisition. on
scnrc congressman, who had drawn the
nhhlfihanships OF these hitherto un-
heard-of bodies, jumped into the big
headlines lmost overnight, and began
n,ah'ns national regulations, where not
c'Tn iocai regulations grew before.
The expenditures Investigations
went right along with tho more spec
tacuiar dynantting into the sugar
trust. the steel trust. the money trus;
and other major league probes. All
through 1911 and far into 1912 these
proceedings were carried. They went
,!,sht on up to the nominating convcn-
tions OF the latter year. and one or
Wy" OF them remained 10 he concluded
AFTER the first Inauguration Of prcs!-
dent Wilson.
And. as every body now knows. the
democrats in 1910 set out deliberatel s.
Ana Systematically to make a con-
nsHn!nE casc agains, the Republican
party. They had control al the oryani-
zstion OF the iiousc. That WAS ali IN.
start they needed. That body, by vote.
,ah undertake any inquiry IL sees tit.
~ can cal! Tor witnesses aud records.
(. ~ can exact testimony under oath 81
can send unrcsponsivG or cUnl"mptuou4
, Witnesses 10 Jail. And It can DO All
iih's without the approval OF tho Mt'
Rouse or the concurrence OF the Senate
PROVE q. q. =. COSSOKTED
WITH SPECIAL. INTERESTS
That case was made against the
tepublicans hack in those days is OF
course, "a matter Of common knowledge.
II was proven beyond ali doubt thai
The party then in power had con :
sorted openly with special interests;
mat II was the friend and protector
excessive tariffs was the means where
by il paid its debts to the great in
dusiries upon which the party relied
for sinews. These revelations did
publican party. Il split that resulted
IN the election Of Woodrow Wilson
II; 1917 by an almost unprecedented
plurality.
There IL striking parallel between
the situation as II existed in 1910 and
& the situation as ii exists in Congress
liran, while Democratic Presiden,
remains in the White House. Just as
the House went Democratic then
Whie a Republican yet remained q,
republican majority now is seeking
10 pave the way for the success OF
it's presidential ticket in 1920, Just as
the Democrats then went out to elecl
Democratic President in 1912
Iiut whether history will repeat Il.
self in the election OF Republican
next year. remains TO be seen. IL de-
nends largely upon the extent to which
the present House majority can de.
stroy public confidence in the Wilson
administration. That majority mus,
show conclusively that the war has
been badly managed; that immense
sums OF money were squandered; tina
little men were picked to do the work
OF giants; that the great war-making
departments Of the government either
failed TO function or else functioned