The Dominion. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1918. THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 38, 8 November 1918, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1918. THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS

—« If the American election returns transmitted to-day. have a bearing on the war it is as indicating that a majority of the people of tho United States are determined to exclude even tho faintest possibility of weakness or temporising in bringing Germany to account. Accepting at their face value his masterly Notes and public statements on the subject of peace, it cannot be suggested that President Wilson is likely to aim at any settlement of the war which would not command and deserve the approval of the Allied nations. But the Republican leaders,' who are now able to claim a party victory at the polls, have taken, if anything, an even more definite stand in regard to the war than the President. In a manifesto lately issued the leaders of the Republican Party in Congress declared that everyone knew that its war policy was solely the unconditional surrender of Germany. Obviously j therefore, whatever else it may mean or portend, the result of 1 the election does not imply any weakening in the war policy of.the United States. If any change is entailed it is_ a change in tho opposite _ directionSuch particulars as are in hand at time of writing indicate that though the Republicans have not gained 1 a sweeping_ victory they have appreciably increased their strength in the House pf Representatives at the expense of the Demo-

crats. Incomplete returns i show 219 Republicans returned to the House as a.sainst 183 Democrats. Assuming that the Republicans gain even a few of the seats still in question they will have an assured, though not large, majority. In the present House the Democrats hold 213 and

the Republicans 212 out of a total of 435 seats. Nine seats arc held by members who stand aloof from the two main parties—two of them by the Progressives,' an offshoot of the Republican Party—and when these figures were compiled some months ago there was one vacancy, the filling of which may have slightly affected the state of parties. The Senate returns, still doubtful _ at time,, of writing, will . be awaited with'even greater interest than those of the House of Representa-

tives, for so far as the United States is concerned, a two-thirds majority of the Senate has the final voice in determining conditions of peace. In the present Senate there are 54 Democrats and 42 Republicans. The election now in progress relates to only one-third of its total strength of 96. Its*? members are elected for six years, and relays of 32 retire every two years. In existing circumstances, with the end of the war apparently very near at hand, the importance of the election result is modified to

some extent by tho fact that the new members will not take their places until after March 4, 1919, the date on which the sixty-fifth Congress completes its term. President Wilson, having been re-elect-ed in 1916, holds office until 1920. The President's., own position is not in question, and it does not seem likely that any serious weakening of his personal influence is implied in the result of the popular vote. The people of the United States have given many proofs of whole-hearted faith in their. Presi-

dent, and there is an evident and great distinction to be drawn between a vote turning to some extent against the Democratic Party and a vote of want of confidence in the President.. The point would hardly have arisen, but for the fact that President, Wilson recently took occasion to appeal for the return of a Democratic majority to Congress as an indication of approval of his conduct/ of the peace negotiationsi The return of a Republican majority, he said, would certainly be interpreted as a repudiation of his leadership, and he added _ that the power to administer assigned him by the Constitution would be seriously impaired should judgment be adverse. Following on such a pronouncement the voting returns now transmitted tend to take on a significance that otherwise they would hardly hold. The President, howevar, would appear to_ have taken a somewhat extreme view of the elections.and their significance. It will probably appear that the people of the United States did not accept his opinion that the voting would constitute a verdict, favourable or adverse, upon his leadership. Another explanation at all events offers itself—that the electors, knowing that both parties were pledged to make no _ compromise with German militarism, simply followed their normal politicalbent. Precisely what the effect will be upon the war administration of

the United States Government remains to be seen. But it is fairly safe to conclude that if the Republican leaders arc now enabled to challenge in somo_ degree the unquestioned authority hitherto exercised by the President the result will be to stiffen and not to weaken America's demand for all the essentials of a just and stable peace.