New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-12

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The time has come, in my judgment
when it is the duty of every American VINO
believes in democratic institutions and the
principles which inspire them to register his
solemn protest against the conduct of Wood
row Wilson and to do what in him lies to
prevent his reelection.
As an independent voter and one who was
anxious to see Mr.. Wilson elected in 1912.
found. in company with hosts of others,
much to admire and commend in the domes-
tic legislation of the earlier part of his sd-
ministration. His foreign policy, on the
other hand, has been weak, vacillating and
pernicious. without criticising this policy
in detail It may be briefly summarized as a
policy which. in every critical emergency, has
been policy of surrender. SO long as
words alone were required the smooth and
polished periods Of the President flooded
the country and ran out over all the world,
but when the action of a man was needed
none was Forthcoming. When deeds. not
phrases, were demanded, the Admlnlstra-
ton at once surrendered. II surrendered at
Vera Cruz; il surrendered when Bernstorh
publicly proclaimed in THE New York Sun
that severance Of diplomatic relations with
Germany meant war; and it has now once
more surrendered to the brotherhoods.
The surrender at Vera Cruz was the Sc
oucl TO an in considered attack upon weak
and distressed neighbor. The surrender TO
RcrnstorF was the meek acceptance Of "A
diplomatic afront and national humiliation
as we'll But the surrender to the brother
hoods is the surrender Of constituted author
ity to tho forces of revolution, together with
the Infamous betrayal OF the principles OF
democratic government. No such daStardly
and disastrous episode has ever before solled
the record Of an American Executive or
backened the pages of American history
Its evil consequences none can depict or tore
sec. No adequate parallel to it can be found.
The industrial janizares (these new sol.
diers" of the imperial labor unions) marched
in a BODY on the White House and having
enlisted the Presiden. in their ranks the
two together proceeded to lntimidate Con-
gress under the threat of national dis
aster. The selfsame Congress which shame
lc.slv submitted 10 the massacre OF its CIT
liens on the Lusitania and to the abomlnable
attacks upon life and property by the Ger
man propaganda has get further dishonored
itself by a surrender Of democratic princi-
ples to gang of railway bandits. In fear
and trembling and under the spur Of the
Executive lash il has passed. in unseemly
haste. an act of doubtful cOnstitutionallty
and betrayed at once the principles OF our
government and the cause OF the people.
The result was telegraphed TO Shadow Lawn
and there the head Of our government actu-
ally pronounced this deed Of shame to be for
himself "the climax of a happy day.
Now. what must be the nature of person
who can be made supremely happy by an
act which, like the sinking OF the Lusitana
still unatoned Tor, ought to be the occasion
for national lamentation? The only pos
sibe reply is that the nature of this person
is not masculine Whatever may be the
President triumphs Of the pen and the
intellect. his moral defeats in all tests Of
essential manluess are great and glazing.
He is capable of advocating the highest
principles in argument, and he does it with
verbal dignity and in the best of taste, but
when il comes TO the final test of action he
faltcrs and surrenders. He Is. in his own
we'll known words. "too proud TO fight"
Rather than fight he has scuttled out of
Mexico. Rather than fight he has allowed
Bernstorfr to bully him in his own House
of State and to protect a villanous propa-
ganda in the country Of which he-the Pres
ident-s the head Rather than fight he has
allowed Germany TO assassinate our fellow
citizens on foreign seas and 10 war against
American lives and properties on our own
shores. Rather than fight he has struck a
disgraceful compact with revolutionists and
has encouraged the Congress of the United
States to forego its undoubted rights as well
AS its rightfu functions in the interests Of
an unprinciplcd and disrcputable peace
The effect of all these moral capitulstions
has been to undermine the manlincss, the
courage and the self-rcspcct Of this nation.
Above everything else the country needed,