Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-10-27
WOODROW WILSON'S UNFOR-
TUNATE UTTERANCIGS.

1t seems that Woodrow Wilson as
President of the United States has
been very unfortunate in the selec-
tion of his words whenever he found
It his duty or whenever he was called
upon to speak to the public. He has
not alone grossly offended the Amer
ican citizens OF German origin, but
also the political far more powerful
citizens of irish blood, and the Irish
| World, a widely circulated weekly
newspaper, speaks of Mr.. Wilson
thus
The time for the American people
to decide what policies shall prevail
during the next four years is drawing
nigh. In little over a weeks time
the electorate will have delivered
their verdict at the polls. The votes
cast on the seventh day of November
next will determine the character Of
the National Administration and Of
the National Legislature. A presi-
dental election is always an event Of
the utmost Importance in the history
of the country. This year 1t takes
on unusual significance, as upon its
outcome hang issues that will affect
not only the internal affairs of the
| United States, but also its relations
with the belligerent nations that
have converted Europe into a verit-
able shambles. One of these belliger-
ent nations has been permitted by
President Wilson to trample upon
American rights in most defiant
manner. Our readers are cOnversant
with the facts. They know how from
the day the present Administration
did England's bidding in reference
to the Panama Canal it has yielded
whenever American and English in
terests came into conflict. It has
| done this so consistently that we are
! justified in expecting that, should
Mr.. Wilson obtain another lease of
power, the policy of surrender will
continue unabated.
This will mean that American
ships on their way to neutral coun-
tries will be seized by British cruis-
ers; that American mails will be
rihed in defiance of international law
and of the obligations imposed by a
! formal treaty; that the goods Of
American firms placed under a ban
by the British Board of Trade will
be confiscated by British warships
and that American ships receiving
! such goods as freight will be dis
| dSdlHSl III tNtiy VOlb
within the British Empire. 1t will
mean that the British Government is
convinced that the present Admins
/ tration will submit tamely to any
wrongt hat British insolence may
heap upon the American flag.
Two years ago President Wilson
! furnished the country with a sample
| of his subserviency to England. a
| citt }. tnh oh hnnn
emphasized by the complacency with
which the Wilson Administration has
submitted to England's piratical acts
against American commerce In
| March. 1914, President Wilson sent
to Congress a message asking for the
repeal of the free tolls Act for the
Panama Canal on the grounds that
| If it were not repealed England
would do something by way Of re-
taliation. Here Is the phraseology
employed to inform Congress that 1t
must yield rather than incur Eng
| lands displeasure: Il ask this of you
in support OF the foreign policy Of
the Administration. l Shall not know
how to deal with other matters Of
even greater delicacy and nearer con-
| sequences if you do not grant il to
me in ungrudging measure The
| New York Sun at the time gave this
Interpretation of the words we have
/ lust quoted. "These sentences We're
generally interpreted in Congress as
a plain intimation that the United
States might meet with embarrass-
1 ment in its Mexican policy If Great
Britain should not be placated in the
matter OF the Panama Canal tolls"
To add to the ignominy OF this
back down, the President of the
United States had to eat his own
words spoken when he was can
didate for the high honor conferred
upon him by his fellow citizens. On
August IA, 1912, Congress enacted
a law declaring American coastwise
vesse.s exempt from paying Panama
Canal tolls and forbidding railroad
owned ships using the Panama Canal
The next day Woodrow Wilson, in
addressing a Democratic meeting,
/ thus referred to the legislation en-
acted by Congress the day before:
You see the object of that, don't
you? We want transportation by the
Canal to compete with railroad traf-
fic, so that you are perfectly sure you
! are going to get better rates around
by the Canal than you would across
the Continent" In the same speech,
in speaking of the Democratic Plat
form which contained a plank in
dorsing the policy OF free tolls for
coastwise vessels making use OF the
| Panama Canal, he said: "Our plat
form is not molasses to catch flies.
Gentlemen who talk one way and
vote another way are going to be re-
tired" That is the way Woodrow
Wilson talked when he was a candi-
date. His message to Congress ask
ing for repeal of a plank of the
platform on which he was elected
shows how he acted when in office.
The same platform for which he
showed so little regard also con-
tanned a one-term plank which he
has also repudiated by seeking a re-
! election He predicted in the speech
from which we have quoted that
Democrats who would adopt the
course he himself has since pursued,
"are going to be retired"
England took President Wilson's