Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-18
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON
..,,,s Editor to the New York Ase.
Pen name weldon"

---..Ihuflnn Editor 70 h"o 49,
Pen name weldon.
w;nner of Third Prize, 5000
90, consideration before the coun-
~ he coming presidential election Is IN
.~ degree a question OF cholce oeeMeeI , ,i
ssu's s.,sc,es Of the two great parties. but In
~ po..,r,heIn,inR degree Il is question
- 49,. hetveen the personalities OF the
u 1890, ~ the two great parties " u a
Sh.,'. "a choice between the man Charles
,,..~sss and the man Woodrow Wilson
~, anomalous condition has been forced
,he country by woodrow Wnson. az
A. his own unfltness Tor the presi-
- ~raater issue than the unfitness OF
e-n.s -, ,o be continued I'm power. This ne
~ pssr. nv acts inexcusable In the head
ds q n~. sre partisans of the President who
-, ~ his program OF legislation, claiming
~, \, more than overbalances All ne sno,t- s,
u<t nv mt even n Il is granted that Mr..
.s .hould receive exclusive credit Tor
+. wup.'...s constructive legislation Congress
f V" .s..d IN the last three and halt
- .ho claim OF these partisans would
y. s.cessariiy hold good. Mr. wilson
...--.n.,rlngs are not the kind that can oe
--s,halanced man might pecone Wv
...-s.,ss,t OF a bank. aud by his INDUSTRY
Er,. .bIlitv as fnancier build II up
~. ~. rreat n nd prosperous institution re
fto esaLo or swear or drink or refuse 10
- ,ha church, and still be goou oahk
.,,ssnt but II he embezzles one dollar 0,
~ u n,nds intrusted to him he at once ana
%r.xsr establishes his uniitness TOT suen -
Nfeas, rsgardlcss of what his other quail
-..s..s and virtues might be. Mr.. wilson
- s.,nonstrated his unfltness to be Pres
-. N the United States. notwitnstaho.hs
-, h,s abilities and achievements may pe:
~ man OF tImidity. OF indecision' OF
E ..t,on and u cowsrdice Is ht TO De the
Sesd OF a great nation. nc matter no"
tt--,.s or yirtucus or eloquent he may pe'
,-.,i make such a man the captain OF
90 snch a man at the head OF anairo
--astsntly places the State In danger ana
-. i,0uence saps the very thing that makes
: vrn,,n OF people into a nation. president
~1son has shown that these are ingrained
,re,s Of his character; and he has brought
- tbe danger and wrought us the harm'
= y5ls ma > lsans declare that he kept US out
wsr in truth, no country has sought a
~, with US. but these traits of Mr.. Will
.~--,s character have more than once
k-ourht US to the brink OF war and IN the
--se ~ Mexico. backed us ever into petty
erd dishonorable war Bus greater than
a. danger has been the harm the very
fet that considerable number OF Amer
IN citizens are not ashamed TO proclaim
.-sr,v their thanks that timldity and
eowardIce on tho part OF the President kept
H. country out OF war Is proof of the
srasculatng influence the Administration
A Woodrow Wilson has had on the nation.
A few more administrations like the pres
ont and the United States would cease TO
~ nation worthy OF the name.
But tlmldity. indeclsion. inaction ana
euardice are not the only traits of char
nder that make Woodrow Wilson UNIT for
~ presidency of the United States III
1esrly everything that he says or writes or
~ there Is revealed a profusion, smooth
pt<s a stiffness. a lack OF simple direct
nss a sense of calculation, n flavor of op-
rortunlsm that make II difficult to believe
y his sincerity. There is always the Inn
preston that he is not going straight and
dean to his object And even when he ap-
pears 10 be going straight and clean. there
b the Impression that the object he seems
D be going at is not the main object in his
mind
Who can escape the conviction that Mr.
Wilson is at heart a pacihst who for policy's
S1ke has masqusraded as an advocate OF
preparedness? Or that he is at heart an
anti-suffragist who for policy's sake speaks
fsir words TO the women?
These traits Of character are entirely al
variance with American ideals. The people
of this country want TO feel that they have
b the White House a man whose actions
are not governed by cowardice and covered
W by hypocrisy. They want n man who
peaks right out, who says what he means
And means what he says and acts acord'
& hsiy.
Such man IL Charles Eyans Hughes
Ms whole public career Is a record oi
oerene courage. sincere convictions and
yraishtforward action. No one can doub
Pc meaning or intention when he sayi
eonoernng the Adamson bill IF / wer.
President I would not yield to force
washer put forth by capital or labor ol
ny other agency--I would rather stand OF
mat principle and be defeated than yielt
re jot or little TO get into Office" M
z 4fsllectuai sleight-of-hand In those words
s - felt
4 Charles Il Hughes fits the true ant
3 eoitionai American ideal OF what a Presi
eent should be. He Is the man that tn,
eountry stands in need of now. and tn,
~ the country will stand more In nees
s. m the critical years TO follow. Tn,
Snitso States IL today nationally sick
ore than anything else. II needs the nat
pnAl spirit revitaiized, the national con
9'ousness reawakened. That Is what Mr.
1tnss means when he says: Il want I,
america nrm in inslstence upon he
~ rights with the ideals OF peace. bu
<no"ing how TO secure peace with honor
want 10 see America prepared for ever,
elsency. alert. efficient. going forwar,
me 'front.' rank in the new era of com
rs'uon among the nations"
We shall have such an America unde
Ses ~ Hughes such an America unde
"''orow Wilson Is an impossibility.