Evening star., 1941-08-14

nave Deen Ine DA"u La"rehce'
better vote when the November,
1912, congressional elections are
held?
While politics was rarely men,
toned in the debate, it was in the
background of the House voting.
For obvious threats from conStitu-
ents that they would take repriSalS
at the polls we're clearly present,
either by letters from back home or
through the pressure of the organi-
cations which lobbied for or against
the proposal.
Broadly speaking, the Republican
vote may prove to have been the
more dangerous, especially if the
Nation is at war or if the present
emergency continues beyond Novem-
ber, 1912 Clearly, the Democratic
party will seek the support of in
dependents in the electorate on the
ground that the Republican party
is an obstructionist party and cam
not be counted on to defend the
Nation even when the leading mill
tary experts of the Government call
for action to preserve the safety of
the Republic.
But if the war emergency has
passed, the Republican stump
speakers will expect the reaction of
the country to be one of indifference
TO the congressional voting on such
questions as draft extension. Other
issues relating to reconstruction or
the return of power to the people
may be more influential In the
voters minds.
Almost Solid Opposition.
So if one believes that the war
will be over by November, 1912, the
Republicans will have taken little
risk. If it isn't over. the Repub-
lican party may face an annihilat-
ing defeat at the polls. There will
be sections of the country, such as
the Middle West, where isolationist
sentiment is strong and some Re-
publicans will benefit by that at
titude, but in the main, with the
Nation all out for the defense pro-
gram and possibly for war, in No.
vember, 1912, the Democrats will
naturally seek to make a clean
sweep for their party on the ground
that divided counsels and obstruc-
ton are dangerous to the success
full prosecution of the then exist
Ing program.
The Republican Party has con-
sistently voted against the Presi-
dents foreign policy ever since the
outbreak of the war in September,
1889. At time when partisanship
Is supposed to be eliminated, the
Republicans voted almost as solidly
on foreign policy as on domestic
questions. Though claiming to be
in favor of national defense to the
uttermost, the Republicans have
failed to uphold the War Depart
ment in its vehement plea for draft
extension and have endeavored to
override the wishes of the military
authorities.
There were some Democrats, too,
who voted against the Administra-
ton but they represent a minority
Of the party, whereas the Repub-
hcan Party threw the bulk of its
strength-more than 80 per cent
against the War Departments rec
concentrations.
1t will be contended and plausibly,
TOO, that without the 21 Republican
votes cast in favor of draft extern
sion, the measure would have been
lost so that a certain amount of
credit is due the 81 Republicans.
But when it comes to an appraisal
of what the party as a whole did,
the 1873 votes against the measure
out of total of 154 Republicans
voting will be used impressively
against the Republicans on the
stump to bolster the charge that
the Republican Party could not be
trusted with full power in both
houses and that a vote for the Re-
publican Party in the Congressional
Elections may be vote for chaos
and division at a time of interna-
tional crisis.
Gambling Aspects of Vote.
The Repub ans would try
through their Spokesmen and Lead
ers to claim they would support
the Government in its national de-
fense but the Democrats will point
10 the record not only on the draft
extension but on arms embargo re-
peal and On the lend and lease bill
IN the House as proof of the fact
that the Republicans have lined up
psrtisanly rather than on broad
grounds of national policy.
One of the gambling aspects of
SilS NOUC was ItldGcu W GIlo eAptCId-
ton of a House defeat of the 18
months extension and a subsequent
rewriting of the measure in confer
ance between the two Houses. Had
the House voted down the 18 months
proposal and had it adopted a six
month or q 12-month extension or
some other amendment, many op-
ponents of draft extension would
have had an opportunity to record
themselves in favor of the milder
measure Then, if the conference
report had accepted the Senate
version, namely the 18 months ex-
tension, the rewritten measure
would have been adopted in the
House either by a voice vott or by
. record vote. This would have
been defended on the customary
grounds that 1t was all Or none and
ttAt those who favored some ex-
tension had no opportunity to vote