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Show THE WILSON-KITCHEN SPLIT The split between President and Mnjorlty Leader Kltchln In tho House 01 Heprescntntheo, on tho Wilson Preparedness program Is tho cnuso of more or less comment throughout tho United States. Prom Congressman Kltchin's own stato comes the suggestion that "ho might best preserve his convictions by sac-rlllicing sac-rlllicing his ambitions" and again that "ho mlgnt follow Mr. Dryan's oxamplo and resign." To tho Now York Comiherclal It "seems Inconsistent" Inconsis-tent" for Mr. Kltchln "to attack tho defenso policy of tho President and yet hold the position of spokesman for him In tho House." Th0 Phlln delpbla Evening Telegrnph, n Ilepub-llcan Ilepub-llcan paper, warns tho President that his complacent attitude towards his refractory House leader may "create a suspicion of his own sincerity In Uie public mind" while Iho "ridicu lous" position In which Mr. khcii-in's khcii-in's action places his party is bus pictured by tho Now York Times, an Independent democratic paper: "Theru must, ot courso, bo a leader lead-er for tho Administration's program, a leader to guide tho party through tho campaign for it on tho floor. Mr. Kltchln, the elected leader, can not do It; ho will bo not much more than a spectator if ho carries out his promlso to act simply as an Individual; Individ-ual; if ho breaks that promise ho will bo a leader of tho opposition. Therefore the leador In tho preparedness prepared-ness fight must bo some one else. That person, wiioever ho Is, will then stand out In the public mind as tho Democratic leador; for hu will be doing tho leading, ho will bo tho ad-ministration's ad-ministration's general throughout the ono campaign In Congress to which tho public attention Is turned nnd throughout tho first, tho longer, and the moro Important part of the session. ses-sion. "Tho party will havo two leaders, tho nominal and elected leader, pass-Ivo pass-Ivo or antagonistic, and the drafted leader, tho emergency leader, who would In tho nntural courso of events bo tho chairman of ono of tho military mili-tary committees, but might be some ono else. Trying to Imagine a plight for tho Democratic party on which It would "bo moro supremely ridiculous ridicu-lous than It over has been even In tho past, could any crafty and ingenious in-genious mind think up anything that would surpass this? For years the Democratic party In Congress nnd Its comic leadership were tho standing Joko of politics; It redeemed Itself nt last with difficulty; hut In Us wildest wild-est nbsurdlties, when Its leaders led In ono direction nnd Its rank and fllo stampeded In another, it never reached this height." |
