The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-05-04
MIR. manns objectionable oHense.

! TINS Crisis. New loIh lIl'9'
I MIR. Mann's objectionable offense.
Nothing could be in worse taste,
nothing more injurious to the public
welfare, than the remarks of Repre-
sentative Mann of Illinois on the
presidents address to congress. WITH
a vain profession of his own neutral
ity he accuses the president of hay
! ing been "on the English side all
! the time" asserts that Interruptions
| to our commerce stand On par with
| the murder of our citizens on the
/ high seas, declares that the con
! demnation of Germany is grossly
! exaggerated" and that to breaN Gil
diplomatic relations is to quit IN a
net and INDUCES in the unworthy
sneer that the address is "a cam
paign political dodge" And he adds,
in order that the sum of his offend
ing may be complete that "the truth
/ is the president is a Scotch PresDy-
terian and he hates the Dutch.
This is partlsanship run mad, parti-
sanship Indifferent to every con'id-
Grafton of dignity and decency. 1t is
the privilege of Mr.. Mann to hold
that the injuries we have suffered
! from Germany are not intole,dDie,
that now is not the time to resent
them. and that the possible conse-
quences of doing so may be deplor'
able. He is under no obligation, eX-
| cept so far as his reputation as a
! man of intelligence is concerned. TO
share the opinions of vast major
! itv of his countrymen. But to as
sail the president in this reckless
! fashion at serious national crisis, to
asperse his motives when he is using
the power of his great office in the
defense of national rights, is an act
so close to disloyalty that condemna-
ton of it can not be too prompt or
too severe.
EVEN II MI. Mdllll Ntl' IA i'''NN
member of the house, so to say, :here
would be no excuse for his language.
| But he is the leader of the minority,
the spokesman of the republican par
tv. He can not dissociate himself
from that position. His words will
be quoted abroad as having more
than an individual significance. The
German government will believe-and
it can not be blamed for believing
that he represents party opinion that
there is strong opposition in congress
to the presidents stand, that an i'm
portant part of the American people
do not indorse the terms of his de-
mand for an immediate cessation of
| submarine warfare. 1t is needless to
point out how such a belief may
stffen its resistance, may lead IT TO
reject the last opportunity for con-
tinuance of friendly relations with
the government of the United States,
may make imperative the step which
Mr.. Mann processes to dread. If Il
note couched in such impressive
| phrases is only "a campaign political
dodge" its sincerity will naturally be
discounted. Mr.. Mann is thus doing
the same injury that Mr. Bryan did
when he assured the Austrian am
bassador that the first Lusitania note
was intended for home consumption,
lie is discrediting not merely the
president, but the nation itself, in the
eyes of all the world. He is inviting
Germany to shuttle and eyade again,
to offer worthless pledges, to tempt
the worst in reckless ignorance.
In these circumstances the duty of
Mr.. Mann's republican colleagues is
plain. They should not give the con
sent of silence. They should add to
their own expressions of confidence
in the president a distinct reputation
of this unpatriotic assault upon him
Not only the interests of the country,
but also the interests of the party,
dictate such a course. Republicans
have criticised with justice the for
eign policy of the administration.
They have urged a more vigorous
assertion of American rights. Not 70
support the president when he makes
firm and final stand for these
rights would be to confess their own
political dishonesty They must make
it clear beyond question that they
view Mr.. Mann's offense with stern
reprobation. - Philadelphia Public