Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-02-25
members of congress feel that they
must give It consideration.
Preparedness and Rural Voter.


President Wilson, it is said by his
friends. is sorry that he could not
carry his preparedness campaign OF
speech-making right into the heart of
the country districts. Mr.. Wilson
knows that the agricultural districts
have the opportunity to read his
speeches, but he feels, SO his init
mates say. that the spoken appeal Is
much more likely to have its effect
than the written appeal.
There seems to be a belief in ad-
ministration circles that the residents
of the big towns generally are in favor
of defense preparation, while the op-
position has its habitat largely In the
country districts. This may not be
true. but nevertheless it seemingly is
the view taken by most public men
who are constantly in receipt OF let
ters from home.
Not Partisan Issue.
1t must be understood that prepar-
edness is not wholly partisan ISSUE
The Democrats are divided on 1t. and
so are the Republicans. The presi-
dent has made a direct appeal that
ed by members of congress and that
preparedness be looked upon wholly
as a question of patriotism. II the
people of the agricultural districts are
opposed to preparedness. the presi-
dent probably thought that he might
be able to win them over by word OF
mouth appeal. If they are not op-
posed to 1t. 1t Is his desire that the
dwellers on the farms and In the VII
lagos and smaller cities shall write to
their members of congress, urging
them to stand by the administration
program.
1t has often been said that the let
ter-writing lobby is the best kind OF
lobby, and it certainly is perfectly
proper kind of one. Congress could
learn in a week the actual views OF a
majority of the people of the United
States on the subject Of preparedness
If community meetings were to be
held here and there to discuss the
subject. and the results Of the con-
ferences could be telegraphed to the
congressman representing the differ
ent districts.
Peace Folks Very Busy.
There are men in Washington who
are doing their level best to induce
congressman to believe that all the
country dwellers in the land are op-
posed to preparedness. Students OF
the situation say that this is not true
by even a third part. At any rate,
the matter seems to be in doubt. and
so 1t is possible that some representa-
tives in congress. thinking that they
should vote as their constituents want
them to vote. may in the absence OF
direct news. vote counter to the
wishes of the voters who sent them
to the national legislature.
There is in Washington what is
called an anti.preparedness commit
tee 1t is composed of laymen. large
ly Of the class known as pacifists. and
it is working as hard as 1t knows how
to prevent the passage of prepared
ness measures by congress This
committee has sent already thousands
upon thousands of appeals to farmers
throughout the land. asking them to
protest against any legislative action
looking to the putting OF this country
into a state of defense.
Sentiment for Defense
There is no telling ds yet what the
results of these appeals will be. be-
cause time enough has not elapsed
to have this campaign mako itself
felt. but there are preparedness folk
here who say that the appeals will
fall largely on deaf ears and that more
than half of the men who are being
urged to write their congressman in
opposition to preparedness actually
will write them in favor Of it.
Returns already are beginning to
come In from the middle West as the
result of the presidents last trip
through the country. There seems to
be a wide difference of opinion as to
the result of the trip. Curiously enough.
men seem to view the thing with par
tisan and prejudiced eyes. Republi-
cans largely say that the trip was not
a success, while the Democrats say
1t was huge success. There is prob
ably one man in the United States
who knows definitely whether the trip
was u success or not. and that man is
Woodrow Wilson. All public speakers
say that as result of their experience
they know when speech is ended
wheher or not their appeals to their
audience have struck home.
At any rate, today everything is more
or less problematical. The country
will know whether 1t is to have ade-
quate preparedness or not when the
two measures have been voted on in
congress