Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-22
No. Mr.. Wilson Under Attack.


"President Wilson has kept US out of war
That apparently is to be the main campaign
slogan of Democracy in the coming conflict
and right upon that statement the anti admin
istration critics are training their 42:centl
meter guns. - Is =.
A good perspective of the political battle
whose first phase is now apparent, may b.
gained from Hawaii. The very remoteness o
this territory, from the principal politica
arenas gives opportunity for surveying tn
field from a vantage point Critics of the presi
dent recognize Mr.. Wilson's determination t.
maintain peace, but say that in practise hi
idealism has been weak and Vacilating, III
policy unsettled and self-contradictory, ant
that only luck has kept the United States on
of war. ..s
The main points upon which the president il
being criticised are these: =.
The secrecy of administration procedure. l
Is declared that while he entered office declar
ing that the people would be taken into conf
dence, his administration has been the mos
secretive in many years. Suppression OF vita
facts regarding the Mexican and European
situations are charged up to him with a wealth
of detail. ~: -.
He is alleged to have changed front on man!
occasions. ~ H..
He went into office opposing the trade com
mission idea and continued to oppose 1t unit
the echoes of his campaign speeches had dice
away, then suddenly he forced, SO the stor.
goes, The inclusion of the trade commission
plan in the antitrust legislation.
His change of front on the tariff commission
proposal is another point of criticism. H'
openly admitted changing his mind on this.
The reversal of attitude on national 'defens'
is another loophoie through which the hostik
sharpshooters are taking pot-shots at the presi
dent. For many months after the war brok
ont he deeried agitation for preparedness
and scored the 'alarmists" just over ayea
ago he said that nothing had occurred II
Europe to change the American program. Be
ginning with July of last year, he evinced I
new spirit, say the critics, and one which
proved his previous policy to have been bot
mistaken and dangerous. Since the despatch
Of tile note to Germany of July II, 1915, de
handing disavowal of the Lusitania sinking
thesp1esident is alleged to have been more AM
more active for new preparedness pro
grami
Even in his werk for national defense tn
critics. profess to see uncertainty and inabilit,
to grasp the situation Thus they say that a
the beginning of his recent speecl-making tou
he minimized the danger of Tho. United State
and advocated little more than the mllltar.
program outlined in his message, while by. tn
time he had reached ST. Louis he was callin
for iincomparably the greatest navy In tn
World
Theresignation of Secretary of War Gafriso
afforded the opposition gunners a shining OF
portunity to pour shrapnel into the Democratl
trenches, They pointed out with glee tina
ii his message to Congress the president put hi
stampof approval on Secretary Garrison S pre-
cram, or at least on the main principles of ths
program, and that few weeks later the pres
dent declined to support his war secretary an
Yielded To- the political influence represented b
Congressman Hay, Senator Chamberlain an
others They characterize his support of th
Philippine bill, including the Clarke amend
ment, as another instance of submission to pr
Iitical influence against his own better Juds
ment and the resentment of Secretary Garrison
The latest Mexican outrage has given add
iional speed to the anti-Wilson missiles bein
hurled SO freely. TWatchful Waiting
sneered at and seoffed at by Republican orator
and anti-administration newspapers fro
Maine to California There is no question tn;
the Villa raid at Columbus has inspired Il
critics to renewed efforts and made some of Il
administration S defenders a trife uneasy.
For all of these charges, briefly outline