Evening journal., 1916-09-28
wilson Declares
FOR FREE TRADE
Baltimore Speech Causes
Democratic Party Leaders
Some Concern
HITCHCOCK IS
OPTIMISTIC

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
NEW YORK, Sept. 2S. - President
wilson's free trade declaration in his
speech to the National Grain Dealers
convention, at Baltimore, has occa-
stoned serious alarm among his po-
litical managers. Mr.. Wilson said; =
want TO see America pitted against
the world, not n-seliishness, but in
brains" Expressed in plain English
Instead OF in that paraboiie phrase
ologv In which Mr. Wilson delights,
this means that the American policy
of protection must be abandoned as
selfish and that American brains and
American labor must be "pitted
against the world Woodrow Wilson
and his party are. OF course, essen
TALLY free baders. but strict injunc-
tons have gone forth from the Demo-
cratic headquarters to the Democratic
speakers TO soft pedal on the free
trade stuff" as il is not popular with
the American voters. In 1912, l,3OO,-
900 more votes were cast for Roose-
Welt and Taft. both Of whom ran on
frankly protective tariff platforms,
than for Woodrow Wilson, hence the
instructions of the Democratic man
ayers. instructions which the Demo-
cratic Presidential candidate has been
the first to violate.
Hair-Spiitting Lawyers.
Mr. Wilson was pretty free with his
censure of lawyers and businessmen
alike in his address TO the National
Grain Dealers II was a lawyer once
myself. before l reformed" declared
Mr.. Wilson. and ! can divide hair
twixt North and Northeast side, but
do not think II worth while, and ! do
not think the statutes are the places
for ingenuity" Then. turning his at
tcntion 10 businessmen. Mr.. Wilson
said that the bureau Of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce had been making
extremely able reports on means OF
extending foreign trade. but II nave
founu TO my amazement that some OF
the best OF those reports seem never
To have been read That Mr Wilson
Is still pretty familiar with and never
heeitates TO employ the less reputable
tricks OF the legal profession Is clear
lv shown by his designation OF the
railway wage increase bill as an
eEight.hour bill" Il is an axiom OF
LAWYERS that the lawyer with a weak
case should talk about something else
and Mr.. Wilson sorupulously follows
that injunction. for having compell-
ed Congress 20 pass a wage increase
statute. he seeks TO defend II by an
academic discussion and defense OF
ethe principle Of the eight-hour day.
matter in no way involved In that
statute II Mr.. Wilson had ever tried
to read some Of the reports Of the
Bureau of Domestic and Foreign Com
merce he might be less censorious OF
those businessmen who omit to read
them
Not Arbitrable."
II do not regard the question of the
principle OF the eight-hour day as ar
bitrable." declared Mr.. Wilson, IN his
last speech at Shadow Lawn. In which
he made pretense OF defending bis
course regarding the railway wage
increase bill. The Erdman Act. form
ally enacted by Congress. treats the
eight.hour day as arbitrahle In fact
II especially enjoins on the Board Of
Mediation and Cancellation which II
creates the duty Of. first offering its
own services as a mediator and. sec
ond. failing TO enect settlement in
the role OF mediator 10 do all In its
power 10 bring about arbitration OF
any controversy which may arise be-
tween common carriers and their en-
pioyes. Every President prior to Mr.
Wilson has regarded a formal enact
ment % Congress as establishing the
principle embodied therein. subject
only 20 the verdict o. the Supreme
Court that such statute violated the
Constitution But with MT Wilson has
come the new dispensation. the rule
that the personal opinion Of the Pres
ident is supreme. and that before It
no law enacted by Congress is OF
value.
In Latin America
Nothing has recently occasioned
greater amusement IN New York than
President wilson's declaration. apro-
pos OF the Latin American republics,
that. For the fret time in my recol-
lection they are beginning TO trust and
believe in US. aud want US. and one Of
my chief concerns has been 10 see
that nothing was done that did not
show friendship and good faith on our
part" In the light Of his own inva-
sion OF Vera Cruz. his unreasoning de-
cree that "Huerta must go his en-
ployment of force in San Domingo and