Iron County register., 1916-06-22

THIS plank in the Democratic plat
form. adopted June Is, by the st.
Louis National Convention, designates
the main issue in the campaign this
year:
We condemn all alliances and COM
binations of individuals in this coun-
try, of whatever nationality or de-
scent, who agree and conspire to-
gether for the purpose of embarrass-
ing or weakening our Government or
of improperly influencing or coercing
our public representatives in dealing
or negotiating with any foreign
power. We charge that such con-
spiracies among a limited number
exist and have been instigated for
the purpose of advancing the interests
of foreign countries to the prejudice
and detriment of our country.
We condemn any political party
which in view of the activity of such
conspirators, surrenders its integrity
or modifies its policy.
On this issue is the battle to be
fought; all Others sink into insig
nifieance beside it. The issue was not
raised by the Democratic Convention;
it was forced upon it by anti -Ameri-
can propagandists. AS the Post
Dispatch says editorially:
1t was raised when the pro- Germans
demanded the violation of neutrality
and of international usage by an en-
barge on arms and ammunition, and
denounced the President for refusing
it.
1t was raised when the President
was denounced for demanding that
Germany cease to attack merchant
ships without warning in violation of
international law and neutral rights
and TO destroy Americans travelling on
merchant ships.
1t was raised when the President
was denounced for refusing to warn
Americans not to exercise their right
to the freedom of the sea.
1t was raised when an effort was
made by prot German leaders to con-
troll Congress against the Presidents
policy of insisting upon American
rights.
The issue is emphasized and made
acute in American politics by the ef-
fort of the leaders of the German
American Alliance to control the
Republican party in its interest and
throw all German American votes to
the support of that party's candidate
for the purpose of Furnishing Presi-
dent Wilson.
II anyone doubts this let him heed
the pro- German demand that Presi-
dent Wilson be defeated on account
of his American foreign policy; let
him heed the pro-German boasts that
the German American Alliance OBJ
tained the nomination of Mr.. Hughes
and dictated the Republican platform
in order to defeat President Wilson
with hyphenated voters; let him heed
the pro- German chorus of approval of
Mr.. Hughes as the German American
candidate.
AS the New York World proved by
abundant quotations from their ut
terances, practically all the pro-
German newspapers published in the
English language, all the German
language journals and all the leaders
of the German-American Alliance and
other German societies are support
ing Mr.. Hughes and are calling upon
all citizens of German origin to sup
port him as a rebuke TO President
Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson has met the issue by
unwavering fidelity to his duty and
responsibility as President. He has
held his course in the face of de-
nunciation, abuse aud undermining
conspiracy. He compelled Congress
to meet the issue. He has publicly
condemned every phase of anti
Americanism.
And the people of these United
States will stand by President Wilson.
To doubt this is to doubt their
patriotism, their integrity and their
faith in ga government of and by the
Vannlo ~