The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-03-05
WE HAVE THE HONOR TO
REPORT:

to you a tip that it would do no
harm for you to sit down and write
blunt, vigorous letters to the Re-
publican national committeeman
and the Republican State Chairman
in your State in protest against
the apparent tendency in the Re-
publican party to endorse compul-
sorry training"
1t was rather novel suggestion
since these gentlemen obviously
had nothing directly to do with
congressional legislation. However,
you got busy, by scores and by hun
dreds, and presently the Republican
politicians out over the country be-
gan to pass the word on to Wash
ington that the newspapers had
the wrong dope on the alleged
popularity of compulsory training.
Perhaps you didn't sense it at the
time but your oblique attack broke
up tacit coalition then being
worked out between the Admins
tration and the Republicans, under
pressure from the American Legion.
You broke that coalition UP by
soaring off the Republicans, which
was not at all the course which the
Legionaries had expected you to
take
You see the Legionaries, being
new to the game, had assumed in
their heady way that the Republi-
cans were fairly safe on the ques-
ton of universal training and that
if we brought any pressure to bear
at all it would be upon Baker and
the Administration. That is where
we fooled them. We left Baker
severely alone. The Legion went
to work on him. Baker is an en-
thusiast on the possibilities of max
ing the Army great educational
establishment" The Legionaries
adopted the idea. But even at that
it was nip and tuck. You will
probably be surprised when we tell
you that, contrary to the newspa-
per reports, Secretary Bakers an
nual report, issued last December,
was absolutely silent on the sub
iect of universal training. The
Secretary of War hadn't been able
to get to the President, and so his
report contained no mention of the
issue-the press headlines to the
contrary Notwithstanding We were
strongly tempted at the time to tip
this fact off to you, but We resisted
because the situation was exceed
inglv ticklish and there was no
telling what would happen if you
began to write in and congratulate
the Secretary on his stand.
Finally the Secretary OF War
succumbed to the pressure. he
gave the tacit consent to the pro-
posed coalition by appearing before
Senate Committee on Military Al
fairs and declaring that the Wads-
worth bill for compulsory military
training was 1.-The most statesman
like measure for the military es-
enlistment ever drafted in Con-
gress."
Then the storm broke. For three
DAVIS running Congressman Mondell,
Republican leader in the House.
was on the front page OF every
newspaper in the country with MS
denunciation of the wild eNtraVa-
gance of the Wadsworth bin when
the Secretary of War had Just
publicly endorsed. Baker was pc
wildered; the Legion was outrag-
ed Where was the coalition
Where the entente? Busted! BUST
cd on the rock of politics.
The De mocrats, Thoroughly
alarmed. saw the Republicans run
ming away with the issue Pe'i-
tions for caucus of Democratic
members of the lower House. were
hastily circulated; caucus was
called:
ON the very afternoon OF ane
~, eetinp. Secretary Baker pulled an.
ntber colossal blunder in the shape
o Of The letter issued by President
Wilson practically demandlng' as
nartv leader, that the Democrats oe.
sist from their caucus. Inc o,ie
hing needed to anger the democrats ,ns
me one thing needed to advertise w
caucus. the one thing needed ~, 10
master all over the country the laot
mai both the political parties WeIe
s s',r to get rid of universal
f,aining-that one thing Newton ~
Raker furnished. 1t was ineredt-