South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-03
The AmeriCanism Of Woodrow Wilson
BY FRANKLIN K. LANE,
Secretary Of the Interior.

IN
the republicans nominated MI Justice Hughes felt bit nerv
to the outcome of this campaign That nervousness has
long since passed The abest OF the republicans has failed to
find the flaw in Woodrow Wilson's amOT.
he republicans talk much OF Amencanism but tins cam
pagn has shown that republican leaders do not understand
America Has any great republican leader risen to recognize
the tremendous responsibilities that have rested the peS
dent the grave questions that he had to settle without the
guide OF any precedenhe hundreds OF questions tQucmng
most intimately relations with foreign countries We are
out of These gentlemen themselves have no sons on the
baehedS no daughters in hospitals no weeping wives the
fortunes intact Have they their generous Amencan
word appreciation beow upon the who through
these past two years has Srven to lind me safe pain oeWee
American honor AND national safety:
When before was such burden laid president or on
party? Pick me the four years. Not since LncolnS tme
PreS Wilson's policy not dramatic Ii did not make votes
1t did rally of marching chanting OF race
hatred or intense natOnan True was just dong the day
work 1t wasn't advertising not egOzingjust plain steady
work insisting to whole world mad with thar neutral
mad
We at peace when had been incorporate would
have been at war We have made no friends among the beg
rents because people at don't want judges they want
paiSanS We have obeyed George WaShngtons advice and
made ntangng alliances great the pressure to do
cannot by threat of force but by persistent nSStnce upon
and the afflicted of all nations And we have sacrificed
not Ot title of the rights of Americans at home abroad
When the historian writes the history year will
say the American president with difficulties greater than
any that of his predecessors met with and handled himself
with sanity arghedness patriotism and courage Perhaps
you think did take courage speak the direct word when
spies filled the country and every mail brought threats OF death
and every of politician prophesied political death If
Woodrow Wilson lives to write his autobiography commits
to other hands the documentary history OF MS administration
the world will that he had nerve well patriotism
and good He marked of neutrality for the sal
walton of his people and was true to it,
When say that if they had been the presidents place
they would have maintained the national honor firmly
proudly and with certainty of success, as Amer
can citizens have the right to know how this can be done The
republicans have called the president of the United States
coward before the nations of the world yet they have ad
vanced one policy that could have been pursued other than
that which he did pursue One says IF had been president
would have stopped the European war 1t to laugh An
other says a would have stopped the invasion Of Belgium
the of the nj |
know how these miracles could have been wrought should they
who claim should have protested against the in
yason of Belgium demand now that we shall protest against
the invasion of Greece?
what I'd have done" This is the most popular game
that played We have all played it, from child
hood up Anyone can play it 1t costs nothing 1t is the ref
chance and will have 1t is glorious game, for
one ever loses You can strut in dress for it pose in and
talk Of it. 1t played by the children in the attic who call
Let pretend and by the larger children in politics. who call
deck I'd been Hamlet in the presence of the king I'D
been Lincoln when Sumter fired what I'd have done"
conceived strategy that impossible and situations that could
be realized We have hynozed kings yielding
wills and found strength in ourselves that would have over
thrown great enemies brilliant man playing at this game
once excited over the cucxon OF Christ that he burst
into poem The closing sentence of each read:
If been there with three score men, Christ Jesus had not
died"
Vice Prest Marshall says that if he had been in the Garden
of Eden and was tempted by Eve ne thinks now that ne could
not have eaten the apple but maybe he would have eaten two
There always who do the impossible after the
eventmen in whom we have unlimited faith but whose ca
paCy has never been proved.
No blames the republican party for failing reveal to
by what mystical power OF magic would have brought the
European countries to their for they know all
know that power short of Heaven could have done
preserve the peace of the world than have done But do
ay that not good AmercanSm for who cannot pro-
duce better method than Woodrow Wilson has followed 10
hold the president of the United States up before the world
who failed his duty toward this nation and toward
kind
We are not little folk dealing With little things If We keep
heads power stop from being the leaders OF the
world-n finance in industry in inventive genius in education
and trust in nobility Of spirit Our future and the worlds
future demand of larger vision.
Read the republican platform. Read the speeches of the
publican leaders Is there hope for the nations theSe DO
they realize that the world has been turned upside down by this
war? That France and Germany and England and Russia
Europe and Asia too and the United States be again
what they before? That the French revolution
great and mOmentOuS event IN history, That the
social life and the economic life and the political life Of all
countries changed and will be forever That
the the trenches will be the masters of the future OF Eu
rope? That he will ask for hand the government That he