New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-07
EX-Senator's Attack Places
Wilson on Defensive,
Leaders Admit.
HYPHENATE ISSUE
PUT IN BACKGROUND
Charge Lusitania Tragedy
Resulted from Presidents
Weakness Chief Point.

The first real ginger has been inject
ed in the Republican campaign, leaders
of all shades Of partisan alignment
declared yesterday, by ex-senator
Roots arraignment of President Will
sons Administration in his Carnegie
Hall address.
The change was noticeable not only
among Republicans, but among Demo-
Gratis as we'll. Even friends Of the
President admitted the Root speech
would necessitate an immediate an
swer from Mr.. Wilson. This is deemed
By the Democrats as especially unfort-
innate, in that it will interrupt the
pressing home of the hyphenate issue,
the campaign on which was begun by
President Wilson's telegram TO Jere-
miah A. OLeary. The Democrats, it is
said, have been counting heavily on tho
hyphenate issue, always with a card
up their sleeves in the knowledge they
can make q big play for the German
vote by sharp note to England.
Not only has the Root srrsignment
which places the blame for the tor
pedoing of the Lusitania on the weak
ness Of President Wilson, made the
hyphenate issue Insignificant, it IS as
serted, but it has discounted absolute
ly the playing of card on which the
Administration has been counting as a
climax of the campaign-the ratifica-
ton Of the final agreement with the
Imperial German government in the
Lusltanis case.
German Note Discounted.
The memorandum from the German
Ambassador, which it is understood
has been in the possession of The State
Department for some time and which
is the basis for this settlement, viii
avail little, it is declared. if the Re-
publicans can drive home the charge OF
Mr.. Root that frmness prior 20 that
tragedy would have saved the lives lost
on the Cunard liner.
Everywhere that politicians gather I'd
yesterday was heard discussion or Mr..
Roots speech. The order to print
20O,0 900 copies is only mild lllustra-
ton of its political value in the eyes
Of Republican publicity directors. But
il was among Democrats that the
speech had the most surprising effect.
A Tammany leader was heard 10 say
that if Mr.. Hughes had delivered this
speech earlier in the campaign Tam
many now would be concentrating at
tention on the Mayoralty election, en-
tirely reconciled TO the idea OF Re-
publican Administration at Washing
ton after March (. The same leader
later made the significant comment that
the real effective fighting OF a cam
pagn always came in the last twenty
days.
Crimp in Kept Us Out Of War
In both parties il was said the most
important point made by Mr.. Root was
his attack on the policy with Germany.
His array Of facts and dates 70 show
why Germany had dlsregarded the
strongly worded notes sent by Mr.
Wilson, and had dared 20 torpedo the
Lrsitania in the sure belief that moth
inc would be done by the Adminlstra-
ticn, has, il is believed, put crimp
in the Kept US out of war" slogan.
Roots emphasis on the point that
the real danger of war is not now,
while the nations Of Europe have their
hands full, but later, also will serve
as text for Republican orators until
election as en- antidote to HE kept
Us out OF war"
Buoyancy at Republican headquar-
tiers and depression among conserva-
tive Democrats were caused chiefly BY
the evident attention given 70 Mr..
Roots presentation Of the situation
and the fact that the people can still
be interested in history two and three
years old. Workers in both camps re-
ported that persons we're discussing
whether President Wilson could have
prevented, by Cleveland or Roosevelt t
tactics, the torpedoing of the Lusi-
tania. For the first time in the cam
paign IL seemed that old General
Apathy had been routed.