Evening star., 1916-10-01

involved in the great European strug--
gle, and also that there was no need
to discuss the question of defense or
to get nervous or excited about II:
In one and the same speech he SAID
that sufiicfent number of men would
volunteer and that If they did not he
would be ashamed of America; and he
also said that he did not know OF any
law which laid upon them the duty
of coming into the army, II 1t shouid
be necessary to call for volunteers.
He said that we needed 100000 vol
unteers and that if there was any
legitimate criticism of this demand II
was because it was too small; ana as
soon as Representative Hay oo1ecteo
to the plan he promptly abandoned 1t.
He said that the National Guard was
not the proper body upon which 10
rely, and then not only changed ms
own mind but forced his own Secretary OF
war out of his cabinet because this
Secretary possessed less flexible con-
victions and was unable instantly to
reverse himself when going at full
speed
Scores s'Eight-Hour" Law.
Col Roosevelt took a strong stand
against the so-called "eight-hour' legis-
lation, to avert a railway strike. insist
ing that the question involved was not
one OI nOuFS at dil, pul VI "h6SS.
Il believe in labor unions" he said.
But 1 believe first and foremost in lib
erty and justice obtained through the
union to which all of us belong, the union
of all the people of the United States. l
believe in the eight-hour day as the
general rule toward which we must
strive: but | recognize that special needs
must be met in special industries; and
that in all such cases there must be very
careful consideration of all the conditions
before final action is taken. In this case,
however. the eight hour day is not the
issue. The issue is an increase of wages.
given by law. without previous investiga-
ton or knowledge. The principle of the
eight-hour day is not at issue and ls
adroitly invoked merely to cloak the real
issue.
1.-The case at issue is -eminently one
that comes in the category of those that
can be settled only after careful investi-
cation and full consideration OF many I'M
portant conflicting elements. | believe in
the eight-hour day, on moral and socio-
logical grounds. as being the ideal toward
which we should strive. / believe in
wages being just as high in any business
as is compatible with square treatment
to the other parties in interest. But if
the government is to intervene in order
to secure shorter hours and better wages
it must do so only after full knowledge
and not merely under the duress OF
threats. Moreover the issue must be
not be used really to get higher wages.
when the nominal and surface demand
seems to be for fewer hours Of labor.
Lasting Harm to Nation.
NO wonder that the rugged cavemen
of industrial warfare treated with ut
ter contempt the feeble appeals of the
apostle of peace at any price. By his
actions President Wilson did lasting
harm to the nation. The vice of his
procedure was fourfold. He delivered
deadly blow at the principle of in
dustriai arbitration. He immensely
weakened the power of the national
executive to act under such conditions
on behalf of the public. He estab-
lished the shameful and perilous prece-
dent that the government OF the
United States can be coerced, and leg
islation extorted from Congress, by
and the threat of vio-
ment which puts a premium on the
overriding Of justice by appeals to
brute force.
II appeal to my fellow citizens that
they shall elect Mr. Hughes and re-
pudiate Mr.. Wilson. because only by
SO doing can they save America from
that taint of gross selfishness and
cowardice which we owe to Mr.. VIII
sons substitution of adroit elocution
for straightforward action. The per-
manent interests of the American peo-
pie lie, not in ease and comfort for
the moment, no matter how obtained,
as Mr.. Wilson would teach US; but in
resolute championship of the ideals of
national and international democratic
duty. and in preparedness to make this
championship effective by our strength.
President Wilson embodies in his per-
son that most dangerous doctrine
which teaches our people that when
fronted with really formidable re-
sponsibilities we can, shirk trouble
and labor and risk. and avoid duty by
the simple process of drugging our
souls with the narcotic of meaningless
phrasemongering."