The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-02

spohsioiltleS we can shfrk trouble, Ia
Dor and risk, and avoid duty by the
simple process of drugging our souls
with meaningless phrasemongering.
1t was announced in the public press
That 800, 100000 was expended in
General Pershing's expedition into
Mexico, and that we are now expend-
ing SIS, 100000 a week to keep 900
men on the border of Mexico in order
to enable Mr.. Wilson TO continue to
wage peace in that country. 1t seems
probable that the first fruits of Mr.
Wilson's policy in Mexico will be that
we shall find ourselves saddled with a
debt of a billion and a half dollars;
while already many more OF our peo-
pie have been killed than were killed
in the war with Spain; and our policy
has been ruinous to Mexico. dishon-
orable to ourselves, and infamous
from the standpoint of humanity;
while not the slightest progress to-
ward permanent settlement has been
made.
II refer you to the letter of Mr..
Wilson's own secretary of state of
June 4, last. In this letter it is ex-
plicitly stated that Carranzista SOL
diers in September, 1915. invaded
American territory at several different
points, and engaged in burning and
footing American property and killing
American citizens, and says Mr.. VIII
son thru his secretary of state. mot
only were these murders characterized
by ruthless brutality, but uncivilized
acts of mutilation were perpetrated.'
One of these 'uncivilized' acts was
committed on September 90, when
some of Carranza's soldiers captured
an American trooper, killed him and
cut off his head and ears.
Exactly twenty days later. on Oc-
tober 10. Mr.. Wilson expressed pleas
ure' in informing Carranza that he
recognized him! Since the recognition
Carranza troops, by his orders, have
! frH n 10 oft Ike
American soldiers on at least two &C.
casions. If the acts recited-which
are merely samples of the course of
conduct Carranza has already pursued
do not constitute intrigue and as
sassination. treachery and violence,
then the words have lost their mean
ing.
Mr.. Wilson took pleasure in 'ex-
tending the hand of welcome to Car
rama, whose own hand is red with the
blood of murdered men and women OF
his own nation, and whose hands, un-
red with the blood of murdered Amer
leans of murdered American civilians
and of murdered American soldiers
wearing the American uniform. But
President Wilson cared as little for the
deaths of these men as he cared for
the honor of the uniform. He with
pleasure extended the hand of well
come to the man guilty of their muir
der.
Put Right Before Peace.
1.-THE supporters OF Mr.. Wilson say
that the American people should vote
for him because he has kept US out OF
war 1t is worth while to remember
, that this is a claim that cannot be
advanced either on behalf of Wash
ington or of Lincoln. Neither Wash
ington nor Lincoln kept us out of war.
Americans, and the people of the
world at large, now reverence the
memories of these two men. because
and only because, they put righteous
war They Stunned unjust or wanton
or reckless war. But they possessed
that stern va1or of patriotism which
babe them put duty first; not safety
first; which babe them accept war
rather than an unrighteous and dis
astrouS peace. -1-a.ao
| There were peace at any price men.
| in the days of Washington. They were
| the Tories. There were peace at any
price men in the days of Lincoln. They
were the Copperheads The men who
now with tilnid hearts and ouavering
voices praise Mr.. Wilson for having
kept us out Of war are the, spiritual
heirs of the Tories of 1875 and the
Copperheads of 1864. The men who
| followed Washington at Trenton and
! Yorktown and who suffered with him
| through the winter at Valley Forge,
and the men who wore the blue under
| Grant and the gray under Lee, were
men of valor, who sacrificed every
thing to serve the right as it was given
| them to see the right. They spurned
with contemptuous indignation the
counsels of the feeble and cowardly
folk who in tl1ir day spoke for peace
at any price.
| Invited Murder of Americans.
| President Wilson by his policy of
tame submission to insult and injury
from all whom he feared has invited
the murder of men, women and chill
| dren by Mexican bandits on land and
| by German submarines on the sea.
| 81 ask you to test the character and
courage of Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Will
son by comparing their attitudes as
| regards the demands of the railway
brotherhoods, which eliminated re-
| Gently in the miscal1ed S-hour legisla-
ton at Washington.
There must be but one law to be
applied in these cases. and to be
yielded to by all alike. TIC yield to the
threats of q great organized body of
/ workers is just as evil and cowardly
! a thing in a public man as to yield to
| the influence OF representatives of
/ great organized capital; and in the
! long run just as dangerous to the
country. 1t is a wicked and a peril
Gus thing, without hearing, without
| regard to the rights of the case, to
burden the whole country, to tax the
whole country, because a special BEN
eft is demanded by a group of voters
| who can exert formidable political
| pressure who threaten temporary in
convenience and damage and who,
therefore, COW timid or shifty politi
| clans.
| president Wilson seeks to Justify
! himself on the ground that it was flu
/ tile and dangerous to stand firmly.
! This is an appeal that can with equal
| truth be made by every soldier who
runs away in battle. He further al
leges his belief that the cause he
championed has the sanction of the
! Judgment of society in its favor.
T. RS Attitude.
Theodore Roosevelt, speaking here