The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-08
The Congressional Campaign

President Wilson had intended to make speeches in several of the close congressional districts, but with his characteristic sense of luty, he has decided, in view of an unlocked for international situation," to remain closely at his post in Washington. While this decision will be cordially approved by the people of the United States without regard to party affilia- tions, democratic candidates for Con gress who had been counting on cam paign speeches from the President will be disappointed, of course, and the President himself confesses to keen disappointment at his inability to take the stump"
 In his letter to Chairman Doremus of the democratic congressional com mittee, President Wilson reviews the work of the democratic Congress, and points out some of the important work just ahead, which will include legisla- tion providing for the building of a merchant marine. It is an honest. strong letter and will be used with great effect as campaign document These paragraphs are typical:
 praot oo,vtr,,otixa
 has been carried through, for which
 the country long has waited, and has
 been carried through with the ap-
 proval and Support of judicious men
 of all parties; and we have abundant
 reason to congratulate ourselves or
 the record that has been made during
 the busy 1T months we have devoted
 to our great legislative task
 We could go to the country with !
 very sincere appeal, in which there
 need be no pretense or boast of any
 kind, but a plain statement of things
 actually accomplished, which ought
 to be and, we think, would be entirely
 convincing. The questions which
 plagued business with doubt and un-
 certainty and irresponsible criticism
 out of the way, thoughtfully settled
 and disposed of; the apparent antag-
 onism between government and busi-
 ness cleared away and brought to an
 end, with the plain reckoning accom-
 plished: the path for sure-footed ad-
 justment clear ahead of us, prosperity
 certain to come by means of which
 we approve and applaud.
 But in view of an unlocked for in-
 ternational situation, our duty has
 taken on an unexpected aspect. Every patriotic man now ought to stay on
 his job,' until the crisis is passed and ought to stay where his job can be best done. We ought to do whatever is necessary to keep us in close and active concert in order to relieve in cv- cry possible way the stress and strain put upon our people during the con- tinuance of the present extraordinary conditions My job, I now know, can be done best only if devote my whole thought and interest to it, and think of nothing but the duties of the hour. l 1 am not at liberty and shall not be, so far as can now see, to turn away
 
 kind of political canvass.
 "In the present emergency I am keenly aware of the two-fold responsi- bility lam called on to discharge, and the responsibility under which I am | laid as leader of a great political party. Of course, the whole country will expect of me and my own con- science will exact Of me that think first of my duties as President The democratic party has made in- deed most admirable record since it came into power on March 4, 1913. It has done far better than many of it's ardent supporters had ever hoped for it. And not in long years has the party been as popular as it is today.