The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-11-05
AND NOW THEY
PAY THE BILL
lRv Charles NJ. KelleYl

When the roll of the Sixty-seventh
Congress is made up the names OF a
large number of privilege-servlng
members will not be written there.
So much is indicated by the returns
from primaries held in the several
states during the past few months.
When the voters have completed the
culling process in November the list
of casualties in the ranks of prlvl-
lege and reaction will be exception
ally large. 1t is estimated that be-
tween $50 and 200 of the gentlemen
who have been loyal to the interests
and neglectful of the rights and
welfare of the people will have pass
ed out into retirement and political
darkness as the fitting reward for
their recreancy.
Politicians are making every eff
fort to conceal the real issues OF
this campaign, which are social and
economic as well as political. While
aspirants for public office are trying
to drag red behring's across the trial,
they are succeeding but indltterently
in misleading the voters. with Few
exceptions congressman are beng
held to their records. Where there
is an enlightened self-interest 1t is
being manifested in stern demand
that those who seek extension OF
their political power shall prove
how they have met the responsible
ties of their stewardship. Those who
are weighed and found wanting are
having the toughest time lmagln-
able.
The big issue, so far as the work
ers are concerned, is the railroad
problem. The railroad bill is the
test of the public veal. Forty rep
resentatives who voted for the Cum
-Esch bill have been defeated
in the primaries or retired as the
alternative to taking beating. Five
senators with similar records have
gone the same way. That is an ac-
complishment most satisfactory to
the workers and at the same time
proof of their strength when they
are aroused and determined.
Scores of Congressman got through
the primaries after bitter struggles,
but they are facing even more bitter
opposition and many of them will
feel that he is especially lucky if he
overcomes the forces arrayed against
him. Every man who betrayed the
public in the interest of Wall Street
is fair target for the workers and
other forward-looking citizens, and
on this issue the complexion of the
next Congress will very largely be
determined.
When Congressman Esch, co-au-
thor with Senator Cummins of the
Ubiquitous bill, was defeated in Wis
consin, after a service of twenty
two years, reactionaries began to
realize just what they were ur
against. Not until then did they
suspect that the public was so well
informed concerning their misdeeds.
Now Senator Cummins has called
for help and careful observers de-
clare that he will run from 10000
to 100000 votes behind his ticket.
That shows that the voters of Iowa
are up in arms and are prepared to
make reprisal for Senator Cummins
betrayal.
The farmers there are paying
higher freight rates and getting less
for their produce and they are mad
all through. They realize more clear
ly than before just what the rail
road bill means to them, and indi-
cations are that they are going to
rebuke Senator Cummins in man.
ner so decisive that it will long re-
main a warning to others who are
inclined to listen to the siren cry of
Wall Street.
Old Guard on Anxious Seat
The Senate oligarchy may be said
to be on the anxious seat. Recently
Senator Penrose called upon party
leaders to make an especial effort
to secure the election of a Congress
that would be responsive to the die
tation of the Old Guard. He pointed
out that during the next four years
four members of the Supreme Court
would be named, and he wants to be
certain that the right kind of men
are chosen. The fright kind" of
men, so far as Senator Penrose is
concerned, are those who will vote
to confirm reactionary judges who
may be depended upon to defeat
every effort of the people to secure
relief through progressive legisla-
ZION. IL IIl6 IRREGULARITIES SuOulu
lose Congress and the President, they
will then fall back upon the Supreme
Court, which is their final defense.
Senator Watson, of Indiana; Sen
ator Spencer, of Missouri; Senator
Wadsworth, of New York; Senator
Lenroot, of Wisconsin,; Senator
Smoot, of Utah; Senator Brandegee,
of Connecticut; and Senator Moses,
of New Hampshire, are being OPP
posed lin their respective states and
the reelection of none of them is
forecasted as certainty. The
chances are that'some, if not all, of
these old standbys will be retired.
They have served privilege and have
not served the people. All of them
voted for the railroad bill, and some
of them have been noted as the spe-
cial defenders of the packers, the
sugar trust, the smelters, and other
reactionary exploiting groups.
The workers have valuable aid in
the support of women, who are OPP
posed to these men because they at
tempted to prevent the enactment
of legislation Comforting suffrage
upon women.
Other senator's, with records not
quite as Objectionable, are not going
to win without a fight. Anything
may happen between now and No
vember 2, and it will not be sur
prising to those who are foremost in
labor's greatest political effort if