THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS.

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 957, 14 November 1918, Page 8

THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS.

No Change in War Policy.

A MERXCAIsFS proverbially dislike the idea of a continuous Presidency, and it is more than possible that this has been a factor of some consequence in t'he Congressional elections. It is generally understood that whatever party wins the Congressional elections puts in its man as president later on. President Wilson is now in his second term, and popular though he is the people may not like the idea of his having a third term. So, if this theory be worth anything, they have given him a gentle reminder by giving the Republicans a majority in Congress. So far as the war is concerned, the result of the elections does not matter much. For the Republican leaders publicly declared they stood for an unconditional surrender. Both Roosevelt and Senator Lodge took exception to the famous "fourteen points," not because they considered the terms too hard, but, on the contrary, not hard enough. And, in any case, unless the Republicans have a clear working, majority in the Senate (which is not yet certain) the'elections cannot affect President Wilson's policy, for the only check on that policy can come from the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate.

It is true that in the past the German vote, so strong in New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, has generally been Republican, but no party, either with or without the German vote, could change America's war policy to-day. Republicans or Democrats are all agreed that Prussian militarism and all the evil things it stands for, must be finally squashed, beyond the possibility of recal. When, last August, Senator Lodge, Leader of the Republican party in the Senate, officially tabulated the war aims of his party, his programme included the conditional surrender of Alsace-Lorraine, the transfer of unredeemed Italy, independence for the Poles and the SJav races of Austria-Hungary, the liberation of Palestine, and the restoration of the Brest-Litovsk booty. So much for the territorial terms. In addition Senator Lodge claimed full financial reparation for Belgium, the punishment of the U boat murderers, and the exaction of guarantees against the possibility of Germany disturbing the peace of Europe for the next half century. If that be still the war policy of the Republicans we are not afraid of any mischief resulting from political changes, in America.