The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-15

BILE among our own citizens for parti-
san purposes with the certain knowl-
edge that the warning nations of the
world will be impressed with the idea
that we are a divided people and that
they may freely violate the laws OF
neutrality without fear of either pun
ishment or reparation? Are you dis
satisfied with present conditions? Are
you willing to be plunged into war
which may sacrifice the best blood of
the republic, rend us into factions which
decades may not again reunite. and dis
sipate the resources of the most pros
porous and contented people on earth
for the cooling of the hot blood of some
few men who have gotten too close to
the coniagration to remain calm and
self poised Americans? Don't you know
that the one. thing which would have
rendered the reelection of the Presi-
dent a certainty would have been to en-
gage in war? Do you want to punish
him for the peace which comes at even
tide like benediction upon every home
and for her hand maiden, plenty, which
cheers and warns our hearts?
But those who criticise. say the
President Is an inflrm American Now
it so happens in this country not birth
nor religion, but loyalty to America
constitutes the American. Any blood
saults an American President because
he chooses to ignore blood and church
and party in the cause of peace would
suffer less by committing hari-kari. So
that it may becloud the real issue. the
republican party has sought to copy
right the phrase Firm Americanism
without defining 1t. By this phrase they
want the English born to understand
that IL the President had been firm
A NJ IA W.
Invaded and the Lusitania would not
have been sunk This is what the late
strategist at Armegeddon is supposed
TO believe On the other hand. to that
small portion of the people who think
more Of Germany than America that
phrase is supposed to mean that had he
been a firm American. the German EN-
peror would never have been called
upon to admit breach of neutrality
in sinking the Lusitania. In my opinion.
the average American wants to know
who is in the partnership with Candi-
date Hughes in this Arm American
ISM" Does the Arm consist of Hughes
and Roosevelt, of Hughes and Hohen-
zollern, or of Hughes. surviving part
ner of the firm of Hughes and Huerta
closing out q shabby stock of shelfworn
political patent medicines not guaran-
teed under the pure drug act?
COPYRIGHTED PHRASE
Another phrase copyrighted without
definition by the republicans is "Ameri.
can Honor. Now everybody knows that
there are as many kinds Of honor as
there are kinds of men. A gambler be-
lieves that honor consists in paying his
gaming debts. A crook believes it con-
ssts in shielding his pals and thiei
in fairly dividing the booty. Individual
honor changes with the ages. Alexander
Hamilton thought that honor demanded
that he give Aaron Burr a chance to
kill him but we now do not think so
The honor Of America is simply the COM
posite opinion of the American people
as to when and why we should go to
war We have in Americanism in thi.
country. We have a sense Of nationa
honor 1t does not belong to the mer
who are holding office nor to the mer
who want office. 1t is the composite
opinion Of the American people as te
what conduct constitutes cause for war
The whole history of the republic from
Washington down, is filled with illustra
tons OF the taking of American life
and the destruction of American prop