New-York tribune., 1916-06-14


Sir: DO you now believe that the German
Americans control American politics?
We told you long ago that our candidate
would be nominated at the Chicago conven-
tion. and he proved to be the unanimous
choice.
Mr.. Roosevelt was the most offensive to US,
and we proceeded TO put the hbosh on hIm
and 10 force him out of politics.
The man next most offensive to us is Mr.
Woodrow Wilson. We now are able to deal
with him in his turn.
We shall use your paper and Mr.. Roose-
welt to put him where he belongs and to elect
our candidate, who is wise enough not to
offend the Hyphenates, and in his acceptance
statement was careful to avoid all reference
to the European situation.
v ADOLPH ACKERMANN.
New Haven Conn, June y, 1916
The Tribune reprints this letter be-
cause we think it serves better than any
words of our own to demonstrate the stu
alton that now exists, and the situation
which will continue to exist until Mr..
Hughes once and for all meets it squarey.
The trouble with such a statement as
Mr.. Hughes made yesterday pedging him
self to "out and out" Americanism lies in
the fact that il is precisely the sort of
statement that has been coming from Ger
man-American sources from the very be-
ginning of the European war. The Ger
man-Americans who cheered the sinking
of the Lusitania with equal eagerness pro
claimed themselves loyal Americans and
denounced the lack Of patriotism Of the
women and children who got in the way
Of the German submarine.
This newspaper is not trying to en-
barrass Mr.. Hughes. 1t wants to see him
elected. 1t is anxious to do all that it can
to contribute to his victory. 1t believes
that when Mr. Hughes says he stands for
an "undiluted Americanism" he means
that his policy on the Hyphen question is
our policy.
But unfortunately this view will not be
sufficiently widely held. Mr.. Hughes has
made no declaration on the matter of
Americanism that Mr.. Wilson has not
made a score Of times. In fact, Mr.. Will
sons utterances have been far more
specific and definite than Mr.. Hughes's
and have earned him opposition and de-
nunciation.
This newspaper has supported Mr..
Hughes in all his campaigns for public
Office. In declaring for Colonel Roosevelt
it said frankly that it should have pre-
ferred to support Mr.. Hughes if he had
consented to make a public statement OF
his views on the pending questions.
When Mr.. Hughes was nominated it
pledged its support. and its loyal support
TO him. 1t may be that The Tribune is
wholly mistaken in its view Of American
sentiment and American purposes. If ii
is Mr.. Hughes can well afford to ignore
what we have said and pay no heed to any
\ advice we may give
D It is a very simple thing for Mr..
Hughes, taking his cue from his friends
Of "The Evening Post" who admire him
almost as much as they hate Colonel
Roosevelt, TO seek every opportunity to
emphasize the difference between Roose-
welt and himself, even when this neces-
states confessing likeness to Mr.. Wilson.
But Colonel Roosevelt can help Mr.. Hughes
far more than The Evening Post"
The Tribune recognizes clearly that the
decision rests with Mr.. Hughes. L,
understands perfectly that it is for Mr..
Hughes TO decide whether he prefers the
help of those have stood with Mr.. Roose-
welt in his last great battle or. is content
TO take the Hyphen support. But The
Tribune is satisfied that he cannot have
both. 1t is for his advisers to say in
which direction the ultimate profit lies
and for him to decide
Mr.. Hughes will be mistaken if he
believes that the fact that The Tribune
supported another candidate in the con-
vention now influences its course. 1t IS
a simple and an easy thing, once a
party has nominated, for q newspaper
belonging to that party to fall in behind
the band and acclaim the platform the
supreme triumph of genius and patriotism
and to applaud every act and every fail
ure to act or the part of the candidate as
an indication of inspiration.
The Tribune cannot follow such q
curse. Despite all that was said at the
me it did not criticise Mr.. Wilson's for
ign policy as a Republican newspaper.
1t did not seek TO make partisan profit out
of the difficulties and perils of that time.
II supported Mr.. Wilson without heslta-
tion up TO the moment in which 1t became
convinced that he was not following an
honorable or a patriotic course. Then it
left him.
To-day The Tribune cannot be false 20
what it has said. 1t cannot pretend that
the Republican platform is strong when 1t