The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-27

|
 HAS PLAYED WITH THEM
 As matter of fact. Woodrow Wilson
 has played ducks and drakes with the | republicans. In the -aeginning, as is
 recalled. they desirous of exercising
 the power of their new found majority,
 demanded that the President call an ex-
 tra session of Congress. This the Presi-
 dent finally did. And he gave the re- rublicans work which he knew they
 could not or would not do. He told
 them to amend the tariff and he knew
 that the requirements of government
 made such amendment, with reduction of revenue, impossible. He told them
 to reduce the cost of living, and he knew that they could not do it. would not do it for fear of the multi million aires and Wall street.
 1 He told them so to amend the war ] time prohibition legislation as to make it possible for man who desired to 1 get glass of beer He knew that the Iprohibitionists would make this impos- sible. He told them to take care of the | soldiers. And he knew that they could not reduce governmental expenditures
 and appropriate al the same time ] enough money fittingly to reward the soldiers of the country.
 But the republicans had cited all 1 these reasons as explaining why an ex-
 tra session was necessary They were so anxious to take possession of the pie | their majority would make possible that they did not figure their inability, in
 that particular time, adequately to serve | the country. But they came together 1 full of glee, and very soon walked to | ( tf<.r 1 had demanded that they be led into. MADE MANN THE GOAT | Their first action resulted in par tisan warfare. The outside progress
 sives demanded the defeat of Represen- l tative Mann, who when the republican was the minority party, led it with con- spicuous ability. But Mann was reac- l tionary, it was claimed, and in addi- 1 tion. some of the packers of Chicago had given him horse and a round or I two of beefsteak So Mann, a leader of great ability, was sacrificed for the year was an election year. The friends /, of Mann, and even those who voted galnst him under pressure, were aware ! of the injustice involved, and, as re- suit, the republican party has become l in the House a party lacking harmony and even solidarity. The leader, Repre- sentative Mondell despite his puichri- tude and his flambouyant manner, has proved incapable of meeting on the | floor such veteran leaders as Repre- sentatives Clark and Kitchin, demo- cratic leaders. As a leader, according 1 to Washington parlance he proved him self to be very excellent blacksmith. And then again, Senator Penrose took charge of the situation. He did not trust Mondell, and he didf not trust the progressives who had elected him He demanded the appointment of a steer ing committee which should take charge of all legislation, and which should bring up only that which had his approval. And, in this connection with the exception of Mondell who is a fisurehead and member solely in vir- sue of his nominal leadership, this re- publican steering committee, which has adopted the gag rule, is composed ex- clusively of mllionaires These very
 rich republicans entrusted with legis-
 .ating for the ordinary, debt-ridden
 people of the United States. are Wins
 low of Massachusetts, skate manufac-
 tnrer; Dunn of New York, who reckons
 ills pile in the millions; Madden of Illi- uois. with an annual income of $500 GOO, and Darrow of Pennsylvania, manufac-
 turer of blows
 And, parenthetical1y, there should no
 longer be doubt as to why these mil Eonaires instead of forcing miilionaires
 to come across" with the soldiers bonus, decided that it should be raised oy taxing the things the ordinary peo-