The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-12
PRESS ON THE ELECTIONS

IN IneH Interpretation Oh the election results,
Sometimes they are found taking almost dia-
metrically opposed views of the same facts
feat made possible, perhaps, by political pre-
dilection Nevertheless, there is even in ex-
IRENE republican editorial expression the adj
mission of a party setback. Otherwise, there
would be no need for the republican journals
to explain at such length how it came to hap
pen.
Among the staunchest of republican news
papers is the New York Tribune, which AYERS
that there was no national landslide and that
"the forces which played such havoc with re-
publican hopes in this state did not operate
beyond our boundaries" Then the Tribune
seeks to show that the results to other states
were due to normal causes, so to speak. How
ever, it is but natural to make the best of
what cannot be helped, so the Tribune con-
cudes: '1n a backdraft year like this the
republicans would do we'll to retain any ma
jority at all in the House." Perhaps if the
Tribune were to analyze moro closely the
reasons for the backdraft it would be getting
into deeper water.
The New York Herald gives cold consolation
to the defeated when it laconically sums up
the good that "can be saved out Of the wreck"
In the opinion of the Cincinnati Enquirer
''petulance, rather than principle, seems to
have guided the voters throughout the country
on election day. :. :. Summed up and gen.
eralized the total of the things accomplished
hardly will nure to the common good. Some
of the ablest statesmen In the country, men of
the caliber and quantity Of United States SEN
ator Atlee Pomerene, have ruthlessly been re
tired and their places taken by confessed ex.
periments. In Congress the chief result Of
the upset will be greatly to hamper the
construction work of the federal admnistra-
tion."
The Kansas City Star, which, while not
pleased with the tariff, seemed to be very
well content with things they have been.
finds lesson in the outcome, as follows: "Ths
outcome is warning to the party in power.
If the administration fails to formulate a con-
structive program and to put 1t forward with
sufficient force and plausbiity to win it sup
port, the warning will have been wasted. A
policy. of drift won't do. policy of weak
personal appointments won't do. policy
simply of formulating a good program alone
won't do. The administration must dress it.
self up with appointments of the highest class.
It must propose a constructive program, par
cient driving power behind the program to sell
1t to the country. 1t still has two years for
action There is no time to waste"
The trouble, is however, that the republic
cans have not failed through lack of warning,
and there is little expectation that they real
ize the significance of what has happened.
While they are rubbing their heads and Won
dering what struck them they fail to perceive
that it was but the rebound of the blow they
themselves have struck at the public welfare.
According to the st. Louis Post-Dispatch,
''the election was a smashing blow against
republican reaction and the intolerance and
hypocrisy Of prohibition. Tariff robbery was
condemned overwhelmingly. Volsteadism was
knocked out wherever the voters got an OPP
portunty to hit It." The Dispatchs view Is
strange mixture Of truth and fallacy. Re-
action and the tariff were hard hit, but the
facts do not bear out the assertion regarding
prohibition. The only outstanding "wet' can
didate was Edwards of New Jersey, who may
have owed his election equally to some other
cause than his opposition to prohibition. In
Ohio an avowed "dry'' won. Volstead was
defeated by man who promised the voters to
be "drier'' than Volstead himself. 1t Is not
safe to draw any conclusion as to the national
sentiment on prohibition as revealed by the
election. Besides, prohibition is part of the
federal constitution. No amendment to that
document has ever been repealed. At present,
prohibition is the law of the land and all those
elected must take oath to obey and enforce
the laws of the land Even while advocating
moderation Of the law, the new members OF
the Senate and House are in duty and honor
bound to stand for the enforcement of the law.
Some papers have spoken Of the result as
landslide, and others as tidal wave, but 1t
remained for the Jacksonville Times-U Union to
harmonic the two metaphors in this wise:
"The republican landslide has been COM
pletely washed away by the democratic tidal
wave.p The Atlanta Constitution believes that
the republicans will still be in working. con-
troll of both branches of Congress, but it APP
pears that the Constitution does not make
distinction between numerical majorities and
working majorities. Some think that there
are enough independent republicans to nullify
the actual majority and to reduce the repub-
lican power to put through any. kind of legls-
lation regardless Of the opposition. AS for
the completeness Of the democratic success,
the Chattanooga News says that lit would be
a very selfish partisan of Thomas Jefferson
who could have the heart to grumble over the
results II. A majority of more than two
to one in the House of Representatives has
apparently been overcome and turned into
an adverse majority. And the Senate has not