New Britain herald., 1916-10-05
SAYS WILSON
 IS A YACILLATOR
Attack President for Eight-Hour
 Law and Mexican Policy

Trenton, N. J., Oct. 5.-Opening the renublican state campaign here yes- terday William Howard Taft attacked President Wilson for the enactment ol the Adamson eight hour law, for hls procedure in regard to MeXco ana painted him as a weak Wllled Vacll- lator, ready to barter his conVlctlons for votes,
 He assailed the democratic party for it's fiscal policy, its eNtraVasance' it's free trade tariff, it's claim to credit for present prosperity and It's forelgn
 policy. He appeared to doupt that
 the eight hour law for the fa1lroao
 workers was proper, but he said this
 was not the issue.
 Under the duress of threat tho
 nresident of the United States and the
 congress of the United States suc-
 cumbed," MT. Taft said. ''It was one
 of the greatest national humiliations to which the people of this country have ever been subjected. It struck
 a blow at the principle of arbitration
 for the settlement of industrial dis
 putes.
 "The issue of this controversy Is
 not whether the men were entitled to more pay than they received. The men render a good and highly skilled
 service They may deserve an in-
 crease of pay or a reduction of hours.
 The eight hour day when practicable
 may be conceded to be a great advan-
 tage.
 ''The glaring evil in the result is
 that by threatening public disaster a
 group of men have succeeded in com-
 polling an abject surrender by the
 president and congress of the prin- ciple of arbitration to a peremptory demand for a compliance with their
 wishes without an investigation or a
 hearing of a most important issue.
 When the president requested congress to pass the Adamson bill he
 also requested them to adopt the Canadian law declaring such a strike unlawful if entered upon before a submission of the issue to arbitration The theory of that law is that after arbitration, when the public has learned the merits, the strike may proceed, and public opinion may be
 counted upon to defeat a disregard
 of the judgment. This doubtless
 would have prevented a recurrence of such @ cowardly exhibition of sub mission by the government of the
 United States to peremptory demand; but the labor leaders contem ptuously rejected the suggestion of the presi- dent and their rejection was so quick ly acquiesced in that 1t is difficult 10 believe that the suggestion was any thing more than a mere formality."
 Regarding Mexico
 Of Mexico Prof. Taft said:
 ''Mr. Wilson's action. in Mexico
 should defeat him for the presidency.
 For the purpose of evading responsi- b1lity for present conditions it is ad- vanced in behalf of MT. Wilson and the dem mocratic administration that the conditions in Mexico were an m heritance from the last administra- tion. The last administration did nothing to complicate MT. Wilson's problems.
 'Huerta had been only twelve days in power when MT. Wilson came in Up to that time nothing had been done committing the government to one pol icy or another. Had the republican ad- mintstratiOn been continued Huerta would have been recognized, but with only twelve days before the coming in of a new administration it would have been entirely improper and inconsid- crate for the outgoing administration to commit the incoming to any policy on the subject. MT. Wilson cannot shift blame for his blunders in Mex ico. He had a clean slate upon which to write when he came fn.'' Charges Meditation. He made these counts against the president in indicting him for vacil- | 1ation:
 MT. Wilson as a publicist was 1 against the initiative, referendum and recall; in his 1912 campaign he an- l nounced a radical chcange of view | upon them.
 ! In 1912 MT. Wilson sought for votes I on the ground that the dem ocratic | party had declared in favor of a law l eXempting our cOuStwise trade from l Panama canal tolls. At a crisis in the l Mexican troubles he made a speech in | congress saying that for reason he l did not define he wished discrimina- tion in favor of American trade Ie- l pealed.
 l He fouuted the necessity for military 1 and naval preparedness and laugh d | at those who insisted upon it. When l the popular strength of the move
 ment became clear he changed his at | titude.
 As a candidate MT. Wilson uphelI