The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-01

escape being drawn into unavailng blood
she'd and no man seems to see or lead tns
proper protection either for her own citi-
zens or for the citizens of other nations resi-
dent and at work within her territory. Mex
leo is starving and without government
Must Act Soon.
"A delightful picture of the effects of Mr..
wilson's policyl He therefore tells Mexico
that unless within very short time the
Mexican leaders get together for the relief
snd redemption of their PROSTATE country
the United States will be constrained to de-
eide what means should be employed to
deal with the situation. But as usual with
Mr.. Wilson, this solemn warning meant pre-
ciseIy and exactly nothing. and the Carran-
zistas and Vfllistas and the rest knew IL
meant precisely nothing Tbev knew M
Wilson would either not back up his words
by deeds at all or would back them up
feebiy that by sufficient show of resistance
he could be forced to abandon his purpose.
Some of the defenders of Mr. Wilson. In
answer to Mr.. Hughes's merciless indictment
OF Mr. Wilson'S course, have sought tic JUS
tify Mr.. Wilson by attempting to turn the
whole issue on the character of Huerta. who
| became President of the United statss
They ask Mr.. Hughes. Would you have rec
ognized HuertaH The answer is that any
one OF several courses could have been
adopted. provided only that the course
! adopted had been followed with resolution
and with full acceptance of the responsible
| ity involved.
There was much to be said in favor of
the policy of recognizing Huerta and avoid
| ing Intervention There was also much to
be said in favor of the policy of refusing to
| recognize Huerta. which was Intervention,
and then of fully accepting the responsible
ity implied in Intervention. But there lie
nothing to be said in favor of wobblinr he
| tween the Two policies, and neither recog-
| MIXING Huerta nor accepting the RESPONSE
oihty Tor the chaos caused by failure
| recognize him. Yet this was the course
Mr. Wilson followed.
| Wilson Hits Soft
1T should be cardinal rule of conduct in
International as in individual affairs never
1 hi
never under any circumstances to hit soft
Mr.; Wilson has been engaged in continual
whenever his opponent has hit back he has
promptly dropped his arms. stopped hitting
and taken refuge in platitudes about peace.
| nonintervention and humanity.
| we are told the of the voters,
the mass of the American people, will APP
prove the policy of the administration, the
policy of drift. the policy of spineless fall
ure to do our duty to ourselves and to others
because they believe in safety first Such
being the case. il is worth while examining
just what safety safety first means.
and how far a policy based only consid-
erations of safety is materially advanta geous
and morally justihable
ITO treat safety an indispensable ele-
ment of any continuous national policy is
eninentiy proper 1t is Indispensable to
misoom mat we snail shape our military
country, our canal zone. all our islands
absolutely safe against successful attack by
power To this extent safety comedies with
duty. But this ultimate safety in the flu
by performing our duty in the present.
when President Wilson two years age
assured the American nation there was no
neeo Tor preparedness, no need for worry
about our military shortcomings need for
self sacrifice and effort in order to make
good these shortcomings he was sacrificing
our future safety to considerations of mo-
mentary political popularity obtained by
pandering to popular desire for the enjoy
ment of material ease. and the avoidance of
effort and of serious facing of duties Mr.
Wilson then put safety first as compared
red to
momentary enjoyment of and material
pleasures and lazy refusal to face facts I
hold that this was exactly the reverse of
what he ought to have done.
Believe In Safety First.
But this is not in the least what Mr.
4 Wilson'S advocates mean when they ask
us to support him. because he and they are
for safety first They are for the un-
worthy safety that is merely obtained by the
abandonment of duty. They are for the mo-
mentary safety which shortsighted men se-
cure when they purchase escape from pres
emit risk and effort at the cost of future dis
aster. They are for the safety of each
man to spend his time in money making
unframed and unfit to render service to the
Nation in the Nations hour of need. They
secured when 1t treated The Hague Conven-
| lions. which it had signed, like scraps of
on behalf of tortured Belgium They are
for the safety of this Nation temporarily
secured by tame submission to the murder
OF It's men, women and children on land by
Mexican bandits. and at in the LUST
tania and similar cases by German subma =
rines This kind of safety first means duty
last. honor last. courage last / do not be-
lieve in it. I believe that it is obtained at
the cost of moral degradation in the present
and at the risk of national ruin in the fu-
ture.
Every life saving crew is composed of
men who are tough. hardy and well trained.
They put safety first as self Indulg-
ence and soft ease and mere money rettino
are concerned; otherwise they would be
helpless in a storm. But where duty and
safety are concerned. they put duty first
II wish to this Nation act in similar
fashion. both regards its own safety and
duty. wish to see IT by forethought. by
e1ort and hard training. and by the cultiva-
ton of broad and intense feeling of ma
tionai endeavor and national patriotism. to
SO develop its courage and its efficient
strength as to be ablc to hold its own
against any possible aggression: and then
wish to see it put duty first. not safety
first, when any small. well behaved people
Is treated as Belgium has been treated.
stand for the safety that is obtained by the
performance of duty. I do not stand for
safety obtained by the sacrifice of duty.
VIII Put Duty First
. Il believe when the American people real
lie the Issue is square1y before them they
believe only by SO doing will they secure
real and ultimate safety. ] believe they
VIII support policy of national action de
/ manding spirit of national courage. The
: american people are at heart moral ideal.
lists and enthusiasts; and in the past they
have again and again responded to some ap.
. peal for practical action. calling for idealism
T to perceive it and enthusiasm and self de-
. votion in order to achieve it.
, 1T is just that this Nation should concern
itself with its rights but 1t is even more
[ necessary that it should concern itself with
its duties- As between Mr.. Hughes and Mr.
| Wilson. who can doubt which the ma
. who VIII with austere courage stand for thu
national, duty? Mr.. Wilson's words havl
contradicted one another; and all his word
! have been contradicted by his acts. Mr.
Wilson'S promise has borne the slight.
est reference to his performance. We hav.
? against him in Mr.. Hughes a man who's.
public life is a guarantee that whatever hi
says he Will make good. and that all hi,
words Will be borne out by his dceds
Against Mr.. Wilson's combination of grac.
in elocution with futility in action: againsi
z his record Of words unba cked by deeds q