South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-10-14
Wilson S Defeat
Would be BLow
At "Amencdnism' .
By Cyrus Townsend Brady.


To the Editor of The News-Times
II venture 10 submit to you certain
reasons why true Americanism re-
quires the reelection of Pres't Will
son:
THE defeat Of the president
would indicate to the Germans and
their friends a reputation Of the
policies for which he has contend
ed, which are, chiefly. ca the right
Of this country 20 sell arms and
munitions TO any purchaser, and
| CO. the right of Americans to travel
on neutral ships without being sub
ject to underwater assassination.
2-The defeat of the president
would give unbOunded JOY 10 every
traitorous and disloyal hyphenate in
the country. To show the estimate
these place upon Hughes feeble pro-
testations il is only necessary to
point out that these hyphenates, who
undou btedly reflect the prevalent
| opinion in Germany and in some
| sections of Ireland. are supporting
Hughes even though his principal
/ American advocate is Theodore
Roosevelt. who includes the hyphe-
nate frat in his bitter denunciatiOns
| of everything except Roosevelt.
These hyphenates argue that no
matter what Roosevelt says or does
Hughes is a safe man 70 vote for
/ from their point of view. Why?
\ Triumph for Roosevelt.
3-The defeat Of the president
would lie a triumph for the man
who 10 crafty his personal dislike
for one president (Taft) called a
great party into being, and to graft
/ fy his personal dislike for another
president WILSON, did his best to
destroy that party. In both in
stances the progressive party was
made TO revoIve about Roosevelt
and Roosevelt alone. Thus does the
apostle Of the square deal, and the
indomitable ego. live up to his dis
interested preaching.
4-The defeat of the president
would mean the substitution of diff
ferent methods for the solving of
questions which with patient care
and wise determination have been,
or are being, brought to a satisfac-
tory settlement by diplomacy. There
I is but one other method of settle
ment war. Do we want that?
5-The defeat of the president
would put into office a man who,
as a lawyer, has followed this time
worn maxim: When you have no
case resort to abuse!' Neither
Hughes nor Roosevelt nor any Of
the republicans have said what they
would have done or what they will
do. Glittering generalitics in which
they deal mean nothing. They can
only negotiate or fight. This coun-
| try should not resort to fighting un-
til everything else in reason has
been tried. What would the repub-
Leans have tried before fighting?
What will they try?
Easy TO Criticize.
1t is easy for a man 10 say what
he would have done after the crisis
is over. He has had the benefit of
the success or failure of the other
man then. II is easy for Mr. Roose-
welt to declare, two years after
what the country should have done
when Belgium was invaded, but his
present declaration differs widely
from his contemporary deliverance
upon the subject. Why?
Shall we give aid and comfort
to the dislOyal hyphenate, by sub
stituting a man who does not put
forth a single constructive idea for
one who has done more TO uphold
I
tect American citizens, to promote
the welfare and prosperity of the
country, and 10 cause it to stand
high in the opinion of all the world,
than any president since Lincoln's
day, not even excepting that megalo-
maniac party wrecker and fire eat
er?
There are many reasons which
every one knows connected with the
internal administration OF our af-
fairs which might be added 10 these
why Americans should vote for Will
son. But the republicans have not
the magnanimity TO refer to these
Their campaign is one Of personal
abuse and detraction-"the knock
ing birds"
The president is not perfect. He
would be quick 10 repudiate any
contention 70 that end. He has made
mistakes, and a part OF his great
ness is his willingness to acknowledge
them; but on the whole he is the
biggest American and-mOre than
that-One of the biggest men in the
world in generations. He stands for
America first, but also and equally
bravely and nobly for all mankind.