The Washington times., 1916-10-25

II speak to you especially OF the
prime duty of self-defense. i abhor
unjust and wanton war / shall al
ways do. as / always have done.
everything to secure honorable and
lasting peace. But 1t is folly to say
that we shall never be engaged In
war. The events OF the past two
years show that as the world now
is, such an assumption by any ma
ton is not only folly, but criminal
folly.
"Our prime duty is so to prepare
as to minimize the number of occa-
sions when war will come and to in
sure that when II does come 1t shall
result neither dishonorably nor dis
astrously for the American people.
At this moment we are not ready
In any way. physically or spiritually.
TO face a serious foe. We owe this
lamentable fact to several causes,
but especially to the evil leadership
given our people In high places. Mr..
Wilson has not only been too proud
to fight, but has also been too proud
to prepare.
Mir. Wilson recently said that the
incongruous elements. The Demo
cratic party, with MIR. Wilson as It's
head. Is itself composed of utterly
conflicting elements with no sincere
bond of union except the desire to
secure Federal office. In conse-
auence the internal legislation Mr..
Wilson has obtained has had to
obtained by the exchange OF Of
aces for Congressional support; and.
as a result, the Federal civil service
has been debauched as never before.
and Washington has witnessed the
worst administration OF the execu-
tive departments we have had Tor
thirty years.
No Constructive Policy.
"The absolute lack of any con-
attractive policy in Mr.. Wilson's
leadership comes out strikingly in
his attitude toward business.
1--WE were promised explicitly
four years ago in the Democratic
platform, and by the Democratic
orators on the stump. that they
would destroy all trusts by the
utilization of the Sherman law,
and a tariff for revenue only, and
would thereby lower prices and the
cost of living.
"But prices and the cost of liv-
ing have steadily gone up, ana Mr.
Wilson has not invoked the Sher-
man law against any big trust.
The Sherman law Is on the books.
II was a dead letter fourteen years
ago, 1t became a live law only be-
cause of the success Of the North
ern Securities suit. This SUIT es-
ta6lished the the tH Sita NSt,o neies Sayy
ernment had complete control over
interstate business; but the estab-
ushment of this principle was
, about all of any real use that was
achieved under the Sherman law.
president Wilson has mad, made no
sherman law. Neither has he made
any effort to change IT.. !
Eat any rate, either the law is
good. in which case 1t should be en-
forced everywhere, or else 1t Is not
good. in which case 1t should be
modified TO Whatever degree Is
necessary in order to make II eff
ficient against dishonest business
and no longer a threat to honest
business. Mr.. Wilson has adroitly
avoided doing anything one way or
the other. He has left the law
sleeping on the statute books. but
liable to be revived against all
business, good and bad alike. at
any moment
Hits Mexican Policy.
Nor is this all. Mr.. Wilson has
recently announced his desire, or
as ne had put 1t his dream that
the United States shall take her
place in the great field of world
trade He has been appealing for
the business vote by pointing out
an alluring picture OF the advan-
tages and opportunities that foreign
markets win soon offer. In his re-
cent Omaha speech he said that we
must finance some of the chief UNI
dertakings OF the world for our
selves. These words mean less than