New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-30
THE PERIL OF GROUP-ALIENISM
Any Other the Presidential G"paE-tt Discussion Essential
To CsenMe
Is Conducting the Campaign Along Lines OF Least Resistance

opinion, but not make IT, They alone act,
but not they alone must think. The people
must not select candidates on character
alone, trusting that they will act right" in
Office. They must select by opinion also
We need free debate because of the pro-
German politicians. 1t is no answer to say
that they did not nominate Mr. Hughes
They think they did. They think they pre-
vented the nomination of all who spoke
against them, and that they can prevent the
election of all who speak against them.
lheir opinion cannot be ignored. They are
not harmless fanatics. They are powerful
financially and numerically.
1t is said that in no event can they con.
troll Mr.. Hughes In one sense, Of course.
they cannot control him. No one doubts MS
integrity and force. But il is the bitter
truth that if he keeps silent on their sctivi-
ties, through Difference TO party caution,
they do to that extent control him. More
over, the war might end before Hughes had
chance TO act, and group-alienism would
always believe that it had controlled. For
many reasons, then, we dare not stake our
all on action alone.
Nor can he act alone after he Is elected.
He must have a Congress with him. Con-
gress will be worthless unless il hears from
an aroused public sentiment We have all
seen what it does when it hears only from
itself and organized group-alienism. We all
know that the Republicans have been even
worse than the Democrats. II may be too
late TO convert these men after election. Men
become as they act. By that time quiescence
under German-American threats may end in
acceptance of them.
We cannot, therefore, act without free
discussion first. We cannot dissolve our un
certainty and fear until we face them.
II will be good politics to have free dis
cussion. The politicians will never believe
it, but il is so. | do not deny that great
masses of people will be only too glad to
avoid the worry Of thought, now as for two
years past. 1t is not likely that the issue
will be forced on the Republicans as the sill
yer issue was forced on them in 1895. Never
theless. I believe that it will be popular to
raise the issue. There is nothing that the
people love more than brave opinion. The
very men who querulously warn against il
are irresistibly thrilled by IT, and instinct
lively admire it. Roosevelt's courage is per-
haps his greatest asset. His very enemies
love him for it and tingle, as they did last
spring with the dynamic effect Of his fear
less speech. When John Stuart Mil ran late
ir life for Parliament heckler in a work
ingmen's audience asked him If he had not
declared that the workingmen OF England
were not fit 10 vote. tense silence fol-
lowed Mill then replied that he had so de-
cared, that he then believed so, and did so
still The tenseness continued for a moment
and was followed by great roar Of applause
Whole communities react 10 such courage
Once the spell is broken, all join in, mems
minds are freed relief comes from the mere
release of pent-up thought, and in the end
strength and clarity Of community opinion
result.
do not impute TO Mr.. Hughes any OF me
argument attributed in this article 20 the
advocates Of a campaign along the lines OF
least resistance. Much Of il must run harsh
~ across his grain. against all his hghuns
instincts But so far he has conducted hs
campaign practically along such lines Q,
least resistance. Tremendous pressure VIII
be exerted 10 keep him within those hnes
but Mr.. Hughes cannot afford 70 yield 70 Ii
lie must not by word or act, OF omission .,
commission, sanction the timld tradition "
our politics. II would make 10 all but I'M
pregnabe for men 10 be able TO say, as say
they will under those conditions, that hi,
Hughes. with all his intellectual force, mao
succumbed 70 il. He must not give II 'h"
power. He must not throw away this OF
portunity TO drag our country from its ie'n'
argy 10 the tasks which beht its manhooa
There is need of free talk on this suoless
denial of which by Mr.. Wilson has erousn'
about our great refusal to aid the AIIs,
We must not make the great refusal 70 '''
account Of the nations soul. ,s
EDWARD R. LEWIS
Indianapolis, Aug. 81, 1915.