Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-16
f'seOlnt!'H fyeulna Yesterday assas 146O5
A Partisan Obsession.

Writing to the Philadelphia Ledger IL
protest against Senator Penrose's ex'
'prcssed objection to the Republicanism
of Mr.. Herbert G.. Hoover-and also
against the machine leadership OF the
Republican party in Pennsylvania long
held bv Penrose-William Potter, former
H. United States Minister to Italy under
President Harrison, gives confident eS-
preston TO the opinion that the Re
publican party, despite its past reaction
arv leadership, "is still the party of great
moral ldeas and therefore best able TO
handle the tremendous problems that now
confront this country and the world. "
No doubt q great many Republicans,
well-,neauing and otherwise intelligent IN
their knowledge and comprehension OF
oassInr events, will cordially agree with
MIR Rotter's estimate of the Republican
marty. They will do so by reason OF what
hat party once was, and which some OF
hem fondly imagine 1T Is today. But 1T
,annot be they will forever remain blind
lot only TO the manifestly wrong drec-
non OF the Republican party during the
inst three national campaigns, to the
cal character and composition and pur-
poses of that party today, as developed by
he mighty happenings of the Great War
and the trend OF important public prob
ems following it's trail.
1t is this belief-which inevitably must
,oon bc shaken to it's foundations by
evidences that cannot be concealed--that
ncites in the minds of many Republicans
serene confidence that their party only
awaits the coming of election day to win
,reat political victory throughout the
,ountry. They cannot conceive of any
other outcome, although they cannot
oring forth any facts in support OF their
blind confidence. They do not attempt to
10 50. They merely declare their party is
certain ofvictory, and let it go at that.
They are fairly obsessed, at present, by
his belief.
Even the amazing record of worthless
aess and ineificiency SO conspicuously pre-
.ented by the Republican Congress that
Tor nearly year has been wasting time
and money at Washington does not i'm
pair this blind confidence. They give it no
attention. despite its discreditable char
acter. They count for nothing the fact
that during it's long sitting it has done
practically nothing towards settling the
grave ante-war problems that now con-
,ront the country; that it has prolonged
The war by refusing to ratify the Treaty OF
Peace; that it has encouraged and con-
.inued the unrest and suffering In Europe
oy repudiating past professions OF party
caders in favor OF great union OF nations
;or the purpose of insuring World Peace
md refusing to give our country member
ship in the League of Nations; that it has
wasted thousands of dollars In senseless
partisan Investigations into the highly
sfective war measures OF the national ad-
ninistration, the success of which was
most amazing, in efforts to belittle the
yplendid accomplishments Of our army
and navy by discovering evidences of
graft or inefficiency, but without the
slightest success; and also, that it has so
acted as to extend aid and encouragement
10 the enemies of our country at home, and
hereby gained the allegiance and sup
9ort OF all the alien elements, especially
of German sympathizers, which are so
hostile to our government.
SO short-sighted are these confident be-
levers in the supremacy of the Republican
party that they cannot realize how this
meanly partisan work by Republican
Congress has only served, by vivid con-
.rast, TO bring once more before the pub |
ic eye the horrible inefficiency of ma |
.ional administration in conducting war |
operations during our trouble with Spain. a |
little more than a score of years ago. It /
recalls the picture of army movements |
horribly mismanaged, although infnitesi- |
nal in size compared with those of the |
Great War, which were accomplished with
'uch magnificent success; of fever-stricken |
amps that caused many more deaths /
han the field operations: of rotten COM
nissary that foisted supplies Of spoiled
,eef on the soldiers for rations; and of /
sraft and incompetence never before dis
played by an administration in war time.
The only explanation of the blindness
# these eock-sure partisans is that they
zee only the large saccessions Of voters
hat have gravitated to the Republican
'arty as result Of the war. They see only