Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-08

ellison Gardner. Frederick Stuart Greene, Opie
Read, Edgar Selwyn, William Leavett Stoddard,
Lincoln Steffens oliver Herford. Prof Louis John
con- Richard Lloyd Jones, Peter B. Kyne Percy
Mackaye, A. ]. McKelway. Basil Manley, Meredith
Nicholson Albert ]. Mock Harvey ]. OHiggins,
Charles Johnson Post. Eugene Manlove Rhodes,
William Mcleod Raine. Boardman Robinson, John
Reed Augustaus Thomas Frank vrooman, George
West.
The majority of these writer's have little no
interest in partisan politics. Many of them are
thorough going independents. Some of them are
authorities on economic or social or governmental
problems. All of them are keen students of
American life and affairs. 1t is peculiarly sig
nihcant, therefore, when group of such men turn
aside from their wonted interests and tasks to ad-
dress candidate for the Presidency. Will Mr.
Hughes attempt to answer their plain and peril
nent questions? We fancy that he will not; for,
having failed to utter word of directness and
candor in his keynote speech-the speech for
which the country had been waiting a definite
statement of his convictions and aims-he hardly
can be expected 20 be evasive and noncommittal
in the future.
The fact is Mr.. Hughes could not speak definite
ly and frankly on the uppermost issues of the cam
paign without confessing that his candidacy had
no grounds of practical justice and patriotism On
approaching the question of our European rela-
tions he would be bound to admit that no Presi-
dent could have acted differently from Mr.. Wilson
without sacrificing either the peace the honor of
the nation. In discussing the Mexican problem he
would be bound to admit, il he were ingenious,
that the President could not have gone further
without going to war. AS regards preparedness he
would be bound to admit If he dealt in particulars
instead of generalities, that the Democratic Con-
gress has enacted the most far-reaching military
bill and is about to enact the most far-reaching
navy bill in the history of American legislation.
While criticising the Wilson record il the sub
marine controversy, Mr. Hughes gives no intimaton
of what he himself would have done in the circum-
stances Would he have severed relations with
Germany Immediately upon the sinking of the Lusi-
tania or would he have given diplomacy chance?
If he thinks the former course with it's inevitable
drift to war should have been adopted, he does not
say so. If he would have exhausted the means OF
diplomacy before committing the country to war,
in what particular would he have improved on Mr..
Wilson's policy or on the results which Mr.. Wilson
has accomplished? He cannot deny that the Will
son policy constrained the German Government to
abandon submarine lawlessness and to respect the
rights of America together with the principles of
humanity And as this all-important end was
accomplished peacefully and honorably, why quib-
BILE over the methods by which it was achieved?
The Mexican problem was handled down to the
Democratic administration by its Republican pred
ecessor Mr. Taft did not recognize Huerta's MUIR
derous regime; Mr.. Taft did not preciptate war
with Mexico although the yellow press and special
interests cIamored for intervention; Mr. Hughes
does not say in what respect he himself would have
acted differently. On this as on all questions of
moment, he carps and peeves and bubbles, but he
offers nothing constructive, nothing definitely diff
ferent from the Wilson course.
AS the group of distinguished authors declare
in their letter to the Republican candidate, Presi-
dent wilson's beliefs and purposes are unmistak-
ably clear not only through what he has said but
through what he has done Mr.. Hughes beliefs
and purposes the contrary, are so vague and in
determinate that one questions whether he has any
at ALL except a traditional belief that Republican
partsans have divine right to hold political jobs.
It is hardly to expected that the American peo-
pie will displace a leader who has been tried in
the fires and storms of national danger for novice
whose only stroke is to cavil and complain.