The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-30

the army and navy satisfied me OF
their lamentable deterioration under
more than one way In which 1t Is pos
sible to take efficient action. But
when so much time has passed. either
without action. or with only mischiev-
GUS action, as gravely to compromise
both tho honor and the interest Of the
country, then 1t becomes duty for
self-respecting citizens to whom their
country is dear to speak out ..... /
spoke only when II became imperative
to speak under penalty Of tame ac-
quiescence in tame failure to perform
national duty.
followed this course as regards
Mexico. / followed this course as re-
CARDS the great war. To the extent
of my power l supported Mr.. Wilson
either by silence, or by open cham
pionslip, as long as there was the re-
notest chance that In standing by the
president was also standing by the
honor and interest of the country. !
construed every doubt, both as regards
Mexico and Belgium, until | became
convinced beyond shadow OF doubt
that such was not the case; that he
had no secret facts at his command.
other than corroborative OF the facts
known TO me. and to all other intelli-
gent men; and that he had no plan
whatever. save by adroit elocution to
cover inaction and refusal to perform
national and international duty.
For over year and half after he
was elected did not criticize adj
versely single one OF his official acts.
/ supported his Mexican policy to
the extent Of never critlcizing 1t. and
of going to the utmost limit i could
in approving 1t. until the elimination
Of the Vera Cruz incident showed that
he had no plan whatever. to serve the
interest or honor OF the American
people. or to do aught hut satisfy his
own temporary and shifting predilec-
tons for or against certain Individual
chiefs among the warning factions OF
banditti.
President Wilson. and his entire indii.
ference to this fact; and 1t was not
until October. 1914, when ] saw tho
Belgian commissioners to this coun-
try. and then made further careful in.
vestigation myself. that l became alb.
solutely certain that President Wilson
had no information about Belgium
that we did not. all OF us, have. that
he had made no effort to find out what
our duty was or to live up to it, and
that he neither knew. nor cared any
thing about our frightful military I'M
preparedness.
then became convinced to trust
the president" longer was 10 be false
to the honor and interest OF the United
States; and that to stand by him"
was to back away from the perform
ance of national and international
duty.
From that moment, eighteen months
ago. spoke out with all the emphasis
there was in me. both as regards the
great war. and as regards Mexico.
committed no error in speaking out.
no error in any statement. have made
calling attention to the presidents
dreadful failure to do his duty to and
by the American people. II l COM
mitted any error at all. II was because
of the effort in good faith to support
the president regarding Mexico. and
regarding Belgium longer than he was
entitled to support-nor do | regre,
such error. for was determined to
err. il at all. by standing by him too
long. rather than by not standing by
him as long as there was the remotest
chance that his policy was grounded
on right, and was in the public in
terest
The most fragrant Of our national
derelictions from duty during the last
three years have been in their order:
1. Our failure in preparedness.
2. Our failure to protect the lives