Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-07

sprung, is no true American. and has no
moral right to citizenship in this coun-
try ANY ATTEMPT to organize American
citizens along politico-racial lines is a
foul and evil thing Any organization of
American citizens which acts in the in
terest of a foreign power is guilty of
moral treason to the republic.
"HYPHENATEs" DENOUNCED.
It is because of such action that l con-
denim those professional German Ameri-
cans who In our politics act as servants
and allies of Germany, not ms Americans
interested solely in the honor and well
fare of America; and ] would condemn
just as quickly English Americans or
French Americans or lrish-Amertcans
who acted in such manner.
Americanism Is matter of the spirit
of the SOUL of the mind; not of birth
place. or creed We care nothing as TO
where any man was born, or az to the
land from which his forefathers came
so long as he is whoeheartcdly and in
good faith an American and nothing
else.
During the last two years we have
seen an evil revival in this country OF
non-American and anti-American dlVl-
sion along politico-racial lines; ana we
owe this primarily to the fact that
President Wilson has lacked the cour-
age and the vision to lead this nation In
the path Of high duty. and by this lack
of affirmative leadership has loosened
the moral fibre of our people, has weak
ened our national spirit, and has en-
couraged the upgrowth within our own
borders of separation along the lires Of
racial origin When our own govern
ment so acted as to bring shame On all
our people it shook the spirit of loyalty
among those to whom it was vital that
loyalty should be taught, Full hearted
allegiance is shattered by the govern
ment that fails to uphold the honor ant
| interest of the nation by immediate ant
| effective action when the lives Of it:
| citizens are menaced or taken by foreign
| opwers
MEXICAN POLICY CONDEMNED.
In the course of a long criticism o
| Wilson'S Mexican policy. Colonel Roose
| welt said
Some Of the defenders of Mr.. wilson
! in answer to Mr. Hughes's merciles
/ lIltlttllcllI OF MI. wilson : COulSt, ia
sought to Justify Mr.. Wilson by attempt
| ing to turn the whole issue on the char
! acter OF Huerta, who was the de fact'
! President when Mr.. Wilson became Pre-
! sident of the United States. They asl
| Mr.. Hughes. Would you have recog
| nzed Huerta?" The answer is that an
one of several courses could have bee,
| adopted provided only that the cours
adopted had been followed with resolu
ton and with full acceptance of tn
responsibility involved.
! There was much to be said in favor O
the policy of recognizing Huerta an
avoiding intervention. There also wa
much to be said in favor of the polio
of refusing to recognize Huerta, Whic
was Intervention, and then of fully &C
ceptins the responsibility implied in in
| tervention. But there is nothing to h
said in favor of wahbllnG between III
two policies and neither recognzin
| Huerta nor accepting the responsible
for the chaos caused by failure TO 'ecot
nize him Yet this was the course NJ
Wilson followed.
There was no excuse for the rec ogn
ton of Carranza in view of Mr.. Wilson
iections to Huerta applied with create
force to Carranza. Mr.. Wilson's apolc
gsts say that Huerta was the murde>
er of Mexicans But Mr.. Wilson hmse
has shown that Carranza was the mul
derer of Americans. Therefore, Mr.. Wi
son treats the murder of Mexicans 4
bar to recognition, but not the mu
der of both Americans and Mexican
And now, having condoned the repcate
murders Of Americans by the Cara Mi
tas, and having abased himself befol
Carran2a in power, what is Mr.. Wilson
reward and who pays it?
Mr.. Wilson invoked the spirit of tin
idity and selfishness. lie made no e
fort to invoke the sense of duty I
put safety first" the immediate safe
of the moment, to he obtained by shrln
, ing from duty. He did not ever p
, American rights first. still less did
put American duty first. His task WI
!, not an especially difficult or dansero
, task, but it needed brave heart al
a steady hand Under his lead An'eri
could and should have put itself at {
head of all the neutral nations, ty
example if not by direct diplomatic eyre
ments, in demanding that the war shou
be conducted in accordance with t
usage of civilized nations, that
: ternational law should be observed tn
the rights of neutrals and non-combf
i ants should be respected.
If this spirit had animated our ADM
istration there would probably have be
no invasion of Belgium, no fears of
! ike fate To terrorize other smaller I
tions, no torpedoing of merchant VI
sells, no bombarding of churches a
u hospitals, no massacring of women a
children, no murder of Miss CaveU,
attempted determination of the
menians and Syrian Christians. We ca
not undo what has been done, but
can repudiate what has been done
can regain our own sef-respect and
respect of other nations for this count
We can put in power an administIati
It which will throughout its term of gov
protect our own citizens and live Up
! our national obligations.
!, OTHERS SHOULD ALSO COME BAG