New Britain herald., 1916-01-04
TWO HAVE CHANCE
 TO DEFEAT WILSON
Roosevelt or Hughes, C. s. Bird
 Tells Republicans

Boston, Jan. 4.-The following oper letter has been sent by Charles Sum- her Bird of Massachusetts to George committee of the Progressive National Committee. MT. Bird, as the Pro- gressive candidate for Governor in 1912, received 116, 900 votes, and again as candidate in 1913. received 126,- GOO votes, defeating the Republican candidate by over 10000 votes:
 My Dear MT. Perkins:
 'The Progressives, more than two million strong, await with much in- terest the action of the Progressive e National Committee. which meets in Chicago on January II. We are largely anti-Dem ocratic and yet many rather than support a reactionary Republican candidate or subscribe to a narrow, stand pat platform.
 ''The time is at hand when the re- sponsible leaders of the Progressive party should declare in no uncertain words, what they propose to do in the national campaign of 1916. This is no time to temporize to fitnesse, to play the dog in the manager. The re- sponsibility for failure to unite Pro- gressives and Republicans into a solid anti-Dem ocratic bocy should be put J squarely up to the Republican organ ization.
 No Second Rate Candidate.
 ''The responsible leaders of the Re- publican party shou:d be made to un- derstand, in clear terms, that the nomination of reactionary or sec ,ond rate candidate will widen the breach of 1912 and insure the elec- tion of President Wilson and the con- trol of Congress by the Southern De- mocracy. They should be told frank ly, that if the Republican leaders force upon the country a reactionary candi- date the Progressive organization will put into the field a straight ticket which Progressives of all parties can consistently vote for.
 This is not the time to adopt middle of the road platform, or to waste effort in the serious considera- tion of favorite sons.' Grave dan- gers threaten the country. both in do- mestic and international affairs. Preparation for war is essential, but preparedness in industry is of equal importance. Enormous business diff ffculties are ahead of us at the ex- piration of the war. To take the tariff out of politics. through the crea- -tion of Tariff Commission. is abso- Iutely essential to the welfare of both labor and capital.
 Above all we must recreate virile , and consistent foreign policy that will re-establsh our respectability and rank among the nations of the world. These and other great questions make it imperative that past political diff ferences and petty feuds be put aside and that the progressives lead the way to unite the anti-democratic forces in nominating a candidate courageous enough, able enough, patriotic enough, for the herculean task that the next I president will have to face.
 Hughes or Roosevelt.
 There are two men, and two only, who have a ghost of a chance to de- feat President Wilson next November ---Justice Hughes and Col. Roosevelt Either would be acceptable to the great majority of progressives; either would be satisfactory to the rank and file of the republican party , MT. Hughes as Governor of New York, was independent, efficient and courageous. Undoubtedly he would rmake great president. There are some, however. who feel as he evil dently does, that a Supreme Court Justice should not step from the bench to a political fight
 There are others who realize that MT. Hughes's opinions on the issues that will be paramount at the next election are unknown. It may be that ne believes in President Wilson's Mex lean European, tariff for revenue only, business prosecuting policies. and, if he does his nomination would obviously be an absurdity. However, Justice Hughes is a strong man and undoubtedly would be supported by progressives and republicans alike.
 Theodore Roosevelt was great president, strong executive, who called to his cabinet the ablest men of that time. First of all he is pa triotic and loyal American. At all times, under all circumstances he has hit hard for Americanism, for na- honal honor and for our national re- sponisibility in the work of the world. Had he been president during the past three years the crimes done In Mexico would have been averted the Lusitania would have been af1o.,t and our rank among the nations of world nothing to be ashamed of
 Only Belgian PIeader.
 "Col. Roosevelt is the only prom- nent public man who has protested effectively and openly against the crime of Belgium, the rape of Ameri- can women in Mexico and the murder of American citizens on the ocean.