The Washington herald., 1916-09-01

these platitudes, and has with blood
spilling) intervened.
Haiti did not behave as badly to us
as Mexico behaved; but Mr. Wilson in
tervened, fought the Haytians, shedding
their blood and the blood of our troops.
took possession, and now has our armed
forces in control of Haiti and directing
its government. His course of action in
Haiti can be defended only II his course
OF action in Mexico is unqualifiedly con-
demned; for such action was far more
needed in Mexico than in Haiti But
there was difference in the two cases;
and to Mr.. Wilson II was vital differ
ence. Haiti was weaker than Mexico.
No one was afraid of Haiti.
Policy of Drift.
''It is not a pleasant task to point out
these lamentable failures in our foreign
policy during the last few years. II
they were unimportant to the nation, If
they only affected Mr.. Wilson person.
ally. 1 would gladly keep silent about
them. II they were isolated and excep-
tional, I would pass them by. But they
are typical OF the policy of drift to which
this nation has been committed during
these great and terrible years when we
have needed at the helm a firmer hand
than at any other time since the civil
war. II the policy OF drift Is sanction
, ed by the nation, and is permitted for
a sufficient length Of time, we shall surely
face shipwreck.
Since 1912 we have had four years Of
a policy which has been an opiate to
the spirit Of ideallsm. 1t has meant the
relaxation of our moral fiber. Horror of
war combined with a sordid appeal to
self-interest and to fear. has paralyzed
the national conscience. We have been
told that Americans. If they do not wish
to be killed. should leave Mexico and
should keep off the ocean; that to save
a few American lives 1t is worth while
to hazard the lives of American soldiers;
that Mexicans should be allowed to spill
blood TO their hearts content; that the
European war is no concern OF ours;
that even as between Belgium and Ger
many We should be neutral not only in
act but in sympathy.
Sense of Duty Gone.
Not once has President Wilson placed
squarely before the American people the
question which Abraham Lincoln put be-
fore the American people in 1860 what is
our duty? Not once has he appealed to
moral idealism to the stern enthusiasm
of strong men for the right.
On the contrary. he has employed
every eIocutionary device to IuII to
]
content with words instead of deeds,
10 make our moral idesIism and en-
IT, ..StnSm eyHporate In empty phrases
instead of being reduced to concrete
action. American nation has
been officially kept in a position of
! timid indifference and cold selfishness.
AmerIcn, which sprnng to the succor
of Cuba in 1898. has stood an idle
spectator of the Invasion of Belgium,
] N m nf he u,ta
the continued slaughter OF our own
citizens, and of the reign OF anarchy,
! rapine md murder In Mexico.
Nevertheless I believe that the Ameri-
can people were ready for the same kind
! of appeal which was made to them by
Abraham Lincoln in 1860. by the advocates
| of an honest currency in 1896, by the ad-
vocates OF the Spanish war in 1898, by the
advocates of Nationalsm in 1900 But
the appeal was not made. On the con-
trary, Mr.. Wilson invoked the spirit Of
timidity and selfshness. He made no er-
fort to invoke the sense of duty. He put
safety first the immediate safety Of
the moment, to be obtained by shrinking
from duty. He did not even put Ameri-
can rights first. still less did he put
American duty first.
His task was not an especially difficult
or dangerous task; but it needed a brave
/ America could and should have put itself
! at the head OF all the neutral nations. by
! its example IL not by direct diplomatic
agreements. in demanding that the war
should be conducted in accordance with
/ the usage of civilized nations. that inter-
| national law should be observed, that the
rights of neutrals and noncomba batants
should be respected.
J Would Have Saved Belgium.
IF this spirit had animated our admin
| istration there would probably have been
! no invasion OF Belgium, no fears OF a like
| fate to terrorize other smaller nations,
( no torpedong of merchant vessels no
| bombarding of churches and hospitals
no massacring of women and children,
no murder OF Miss Cavell, no ATTEMPTED
determination of the Armenians and
! Syrian Christians. We cannot undo what
/ has been done. But We can repudiate
what has been done. w can regain our
! own self-respect and the respect Of other
nations for this country. We can put in
power an administration which will
! throughout its term of power protect our
own citizens and live up to our national
obligations.
1T is just that this nation should con-
Germ itself with its rights; but It is
even more necessary that it should con-
Germ itself with its duties. AS between
! Mr.. Hughes and Mr. Wilson, who car
doubt which IS the man who will with
austere courage stand for the national
! duty? Mr.. Wilson's words have con.
! tradiCted one another: and all his words
have been contradicted by his acts Mr.
! Wilson's promise has not borne the
slightest reference to his performance
Hughes Better Man.
/ I'VE have against him in Mr. Hughes
a man whose public life is a guarantee
that whatever he says he will make
/ good, and that all his words will be
borne out by his deeds. Against Mr. VIII
sons combination of grace in elocutior
with futility in action: against his rec
ord of words unbacked by deeds or be-
| trayed by deeds. we st Mr.. Hughes
rugged and uncompromising straightfor-
wardness of character and action ir
! every office he has held We put the
! man who thinks and speaks directly, and
i whose words have always been made
good, against the man whose adroit and
! facile elocution is used to conceal his
. plans or his want of plans
THE next four years may well be
years Of tremendous national stain
which of the two men do you, the
American people, wish Mt the helm
during these four years; the man who
has been actually tried and found
he