Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-26
to the continuance in power Of Mr. Wilson
and the Democratic party.

Under these circumstances the Progress
sive National Committee at Chicago in
January outlined our duty TO seek common
action with the Republican party. using the
following words. "Our people are seeking
eadershp--leadership OF the highest order
and most courageous character; leadership
that will draft to itself for the country's
benefit the unselnsh and patriotic services
Of It's ablest citizens. The surest way to Sc
cure for our country the required leader
ship will be by having, II possible. both the
Progressive and Republican parties choose
the same standard bearer and the same prin-
ciples"
six weeks later, on March 9, In my Trim
idad statement, I asked for q similar com
binatlon against the Democratic party on
platform OF "clean.cut. straight-out Ma
tional Americanism." and for candidate
who will not merely stand for such a pro-
gram before election but will resolutely
and In good faith put It through II elected"
APPEAL TO VOTERS.
This was, in effect, the same statement
that | made in my telegram to ex-senator
jackson, pending the convention, which ran
in part as follows
can we not forgetting past differences
now Join, for the safety and honor of our
country, to enforce the policies of genuine
AmeriCanlsm and genuine prepa redness?
Surely we can afford to act in accordance
with the words of Abraham Lincoln when
he said, May not all having common
interest reunite in common effort to save
our common country? May we ask those
who have not differed with us to ioin in this
same spirit toward those who have? AS
far as my own soul IL known to me II IL
in this same spirit that at this time 1
make my appeal to The Republicans and
Progressives assembled at Chicago"
In addition to these public statements
had also stated by own attitude verbally,
nd Ia taNta L.,
diately preceding the convention. to scores
Of leading ProgTessives from all parts of
the country, including many of the leaders
at the convention. To these men I ex-
pressed my earnest hope that the Repub-
llcans would so act as to make Il pos
sible for the Progressives to join with
them. l stated to them. however, that in
view of the attitude of some OF the Repub-
lican leaders 1t was at least conceivable
that we should be put In a position where
our highest duty, our fealty to the coun-
try, our sense OF what patriotism demanded
in n great crisis would make II imperative
upon us to run n separate ticket and that
whether in such event 1t would he neCes-
sary for me TO head that ticket could not
be determined in advance / stated in
these interviews and in these letters. with
the utmost emphasis, that the decision of
this point, like the whole matter of rum
ming n separate ticket, would have to be
determined by what the interests of the
country demanded in view of the action
finally taken by the conventions at Chi
Cago.
II SPOKE IN GOOD FAITH"
At the time many of the Republican lead
ers asserted that my statements were not
made in good faith that l really intended
to insist upon my own nomination by the
Republican convention; and that If / was
not so nominated, intended to accept the
Progressive nomination and run on Il third
were under no such error. They knew that
| spoke in good faith and meant exactly
what | said They knew that my utter
ances were to be accepted at their exact
face value as meaning that If the Repub-
lCans nominated a man whom we could
conscentiously support we would support
him The Progressive Convention came to-
gether knowing my public statements and
therefore knowing exactly what my atti-
tude was.
In my Judgment, the nomination of Mr..
Hughes meets the conditions set forth In
the statement of the Progressive National
Committee, issued last January, and in my
own statements. Under existing conditions,
the nomination of II third ticket would, in
my Judgment, be merely move in the in
terest of the election of Mr.. Wilson.
~ SHALL SUPPORT HUGHES"
regard MIR. Hughes as IA man whose
public record Is n guarantee that "he will
not merely stand for II program of clean
cut straightO AmeriCnnism before cleo
tlOn, but will resOlutely and in good faith
put II through II elected. He is beyond all
comparison better fitted to be President
than Mr.. Wilson. 1t would be grave det-
riment to the country to re-elect Mr.. will
son. 1 shall, therefore, strongly support
Mr.. Hughes. Such being the case, 1t is un-
necessary to say that / cannot accept the
nomination on n third ticket | do not be-
lieve that there should be third ticket
] believe that when my fellow Progressives
CoOIIy consider the question they will for
the most part take this position, They and
| have but one purpose-the purpose to
serve our common country II is my deep
conviction that at this moment we can
serve it only by supporting Mr.. Hughes,
1t Is urged against Mr.. Hughes that he
was supported by the various sO-caIled Ger
man-AmeriCan Alliances, i believe that the
attitude of these professional German
Americans was due, not In the least to any
liking for Mr., Hughes, but solely to their
antagOnism to me. They were bound to
defeat me for the nomination. The only
way by which they could achieve this OBJ
jeCt was by supporting Mr.. Hughes, and
they supported him accordingly, without
any regard to other considerations. / need
hardly repeat what / have already said I'm
stern TeprObation of this professional Ger
man-Amerlcan element-the element typl-
fled by the German-American Alliances and
nomination campaign, played not merely
an un-American but a thoroughly anti
American part.
SCORNS PROFESSIONAL HYPHENS.
These men have nothing in common with
the great body of Americans who are in
whole or in part of German blood, and who
are precisely as good Americans as those
of any other ancestry. There are not and
never have been, in all our land, better citi-
zens than the great mass of the men and
women of German birth or descent who
have been or are being completely merged
in our common American nationality; a
nationality distinct from any in Europe, for
Americans who are good Americans are no
more German-Americans than they are
English-AmeriCans, or Irish-Amerieans. or
Scandinayian-American They are Amerl-
cans and nothing else.
No good American, whatever his ancestry
or creed, can have any feeling except scOrn
and detestatiOn for those professional Ger