Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-13
The Republican Endorsement
OF Woodrow Wilson'S Policies.


IT HE most remarkable feature of the Progress
= sive and the Republican platforms is their
Endorsement of the Wilson policies. The fact that
IL is an unintentional and wholly artless indorse
ment makes it the more impressive. The Roose-
Welt radicals and the Republican reactionaries both
set out TO assail the Democratic Administration
but they both wound up with vindicating it. On
all the uppermost issues of the day they merely
echo the principles which Mr. Wilson long ago pro-
claimed and which a Democratic Congress already
has put into effect or is now bringing to pass
What they as divided party, ought to be
done, united Democracy is doing. If they are
sincere and unselfsh in the convictions they pro-
fess they ought to nominate Woodrow Wilson as
their candidate for he voices those convictions far
better than they. and more than that, he is forg-
ing them into results.
As regards Americanism and national Defense
the foremost questions of the time, the Progressive
and the Republican platform follow the same line
and embody the same truths which the Wilson rec
ord exemplihes. The Progressives declare:
las members of an international commu-
nifty, we are subject to certain basic duties: to
secure the rights and equal treatment Of our
citizens native naturalized, land and
sea; TO guard the honor and uphold the Just
influence OF our nation to maintain the integ-
rity of international law"
II the record of our Governments dealings with
the European belligerents in the last twenty-five
months shows anything, it shows that the rights
Of our citizens have been indicated that the honor
of our nation has been upheld and that in so far
it possible for American influence to exert it
self the integrity of international law has been
maintained. These happy results have not been
accomplished with a Big Stick. They have been
accomplished through diplomacy at once patient
and firm; but for that very reason they are the
more substantial and benefcent. Our rights have
been enforced without buster, AID our honor pre-
served without war.
On the subject of national defense, the Pro-
gressive platform declares:
I'VE must be ready in spirit, arms and in
dustry. Preparation in arms requires: navy
restored to at least second rank in battle eff
cheney; a regular army of two hundred and
fifty thousand men, fully armed and trained
as a first line land defense"
The Democratic Congress already has enacted
an army reorganization bill under the terms of
which the regular army, in all its branches, will
number approximately two hundred and sixty thou
sand men. and the federalized National Guard some
four hundred and fortyseven. thus giving the
try as first and second line of defense, upwards
of seven hundred thousand trained men. AS for
the navy. the bill which recently passed the House
carries the largest appropriation any Congress
made for that purpose in time of peace; and it is
more than probable that the Senate will add two
dreadnaughts TO the extensive program which the
House has provided. In only one particular does
the Progressive platform suggest course of pre-
paredness in which it has not been anticipated by
the Democratic Administration. That is the pro-
posal for universal and compulsory military serv-
fee in times of peace. If the American people are
ready TO be Prussianized. If they want rank mill
tarism rather than sane preparedness, they will
approve the Progressive policy. Otherwise, they
will be content with what the Wilson Adminstra-
ton IS doing.
The Progressives and Republicans alike plead
for unaIloyed and undivided allegiance to the
United States. But neither of them speaks so
positively President Wilson did when he de-
clared at a time when "hyphenism" was at its ug-
lest:
"a nation is unit, and any individual of
II who does not feel the impulse of the whole
does not belong to it and does not belong in it,"
Both the Progressive and the Republican plat
form touch On the subject of international peace
and the part America should play therein The
Republicans favor "the establishment of a world
court" The Progressives speak of the supreme
duty of creating conditions which will make
peace permanent" President Wilson saw further
than either of them when he said in a recent ad-
dress:
when it Cthe war; does come to an end,
we shall be as much concerned as the nations
az war to see peace assume aspect of per-
manence give promise of days from which
anxiety shall be lifted. bring some assurance
that peace and war shall always hereafter be
reckoned part of the common interest of man.
kind. We participants. whether would
or not in the life of the world. If our
selves had been afforded some opportunity to
apprise the belligerents of the attitude which
Il would be duty to take, of the policies
and practices against which would feel
bound 10 all our moral and economic
strength. and in certain circumstances even
our physical strength also. our own contribu-
ton to the counsel, which might have averted