Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-19
The Case for Hughes


struck by the apparent unwillingness OF educated
and intelligent men to apply the admitted results
of the study OF political science to practical poll
tics Though discouraging to me at other tunes
volubIy and with emphatic approval OF the re-
suits attained by Bryce and Ostrogorski, these
same gentlemen almost invariably treat the presl-
Dental campaign from the point OF view OF the
misconceptions about American government
which they themselves as students long ago re-
nounced.
the president, but for his party; that the party
leaders really direct the administration and the
legisaton and that the candidates election
promises of importance only because through
him the party leaders pledge themselves! More
over, he is himself selected for his availability,
for his supposed usefulness, not as an admins
traitor and legislator, but as vote getter; so far
as can see for his reelection qualities and not
for himself.
I am therefore concerned primarily with the
fact that if vote for Mr. Hughes ! am merely
putting ballot in the box for government by the
republican leaders, and, if | vote for Mr.. Wilson,
am expressing my preference for government by
the democratic leaders both bodies of men being
already determined to dictate to the president in
every possible way, to allow his judgment and
policies scope only when they coincide with their
own. IF, now, | allow myself to be led by the
carrot dangled by the leaders before my nose-by
the personal qualifications, speeches and promises
dence in New York or New Jersey, by his sup
posed personal belief in peace or in high tariff
am falling into the trap laid for me and forget
ting to pass Judgment as best can on the real
problem itself; which of the two groups Of lead
ers is the ADLER, more intelligent, more upright,
more likely to grapple successfully with the
country's problems.
am also in the second place honestly con-
WINGED that the republican leaders are man for
man ADLER, incomparably more experienced in
affairs and at least as disnerested their rivals.
We know that both parties will appoint to the
administrative Offices good party men. The re-
publican leaders have much wider range of men
to select from than have the democrats; after all
deductions and allowances have been made, the
republican party, and not the democratic, repre-
sents the manufacturing, scientific, professional
elements in the country Edison and Ford may
vote for Wilson, but the vast majority OF the men
from whose ranks the requisite skill must come
to make preparedness reality belong in the re-
publican camp. | will vote for Mr.. Hughes be-
cause want to see the new administrators, in
the greatest administrative Crisis the country has
known, chosen from the larger technical and pro-
fessonal body and not from the smaller. | want
to see this difficult work performed by men whose
hearts and brains have long BEEN in it rather than
by body of men whose leaders are openly OPP
posed to it and have espoused it only as po-
ltical necessity.
az. find myself giving great weight to the atti-
tude of Mr. Hughes and the republican leaders
upon the second great issue of the coming four
years-foreign relations Mr.. Wilson's challenge
to Mr.. Hughes to declare the foreign policy of
the republican party puts his rival in an awkward
position. His own foreign policy has been care
fully directed at the preconceptions OF the Amer-
can public and not at the European problems os-\
tensibly concerned as understood in Europe. His
notes were literally meant for home consumption.
Politically this was the only safe thing for him to
do. He must at all odds do what the people
would approve, whatever they thought of it and
him in Europe. The Europeans would not vote
in November, 1916 and the Americans would.
Moreover, the deadlock in Europe was so great
that Mr.. Wilson and the democratic leaders saw
no danger in making political capital out Of for
eigh events. Germany could not get at US, if she
would, and, while the allies were getting the
worst of it on all fronts, they would do nothing.
1t yas therefore easy to defend American rights
by bold statements and resounding threats and it
was also easy to keep US out of war which they
knew perfectly well none of the European pow
ers had the least intention Of declaring and which
none of them-could under the circumstances pos
sibly wage. The democratic leaders therefore in
sisted on playing the international cards with
view to making votes for the campaign of 1916,
and consistently forced the president to proclaim
a policy which pleased the American people with
out regard to the national ability to execute it,
and indeed without any probable intention to pro-
q coed to such extremities we constantly in
formed Germany and Great Bratan would follow
the least abatement Of our most extreme demands.
If the power addressed did not too openly re-
sent the belligerent tone of his notes, Mr. Wilson
could then plume himself on having shown Eu-
rope what was what. And The people would like
it'll When, however, the power in question re-
turned sharp reproof. Mr.. Wilson could turn the
other cheek and explain to the approving popu-
lace that he swallowed the insult because OF his
ardent desire to keep the peace. 1t was a good
game; heads | win, tails you lose. 1t cost moth
ing; ran no real risks, and made votes whatever
happened. But it was not statecraft 1t has
brought upon us the scorn of Europe and has
made difficult the path of future diplomacy And
Mr. Hughes and the republican leaders know it
well, Before we can play any real part in the
diplomatic discussions which will follow the war,
we must reinstate ourselves in the worlds respect
and must regain our own. Mr., Wilson knows
that it is impossible for Mr.. Hughes to make this
paatable and comprehensive to the man who
reads nothing but the newspapers, but he ought
to know that educated men can and do see it.
There is very simple alternative and it is the
policy believe Mr.. Hughes and the republican
leaders mean to follow. 1t is clear honorable d.
rect. Far from involving danger, it will indeed
avoid the constant danger of war to which Mr.
Wilson's diplomacy would have exposed US, If war
with us had at any time been for the European
powers even thinkable proposition. This policy
will deal with the international situation as it is,
not as the American people believe il to be- 1t
will insist that our notes apply to the foreign sit
uation they ostensibly concern instead OF to DO
litical exigencies in this country; that our notes
shall be couched in language which will say what
we have in mind to the European diplomats who
are to read them rather than in the language of
kokomo and Popham Corners 1t will promise
orao teal, IL,