French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1917-12-06
AT THEIR OH TRICKS.

or the united states dOWu 10 tOWASuIP
constable. This much was due to hap
pen along about the Thanksgiving sea-
son, for the average republican leader
can see nothing for which he should be
thankful with mean democrats holding
most all the good fat offices. This
year the brethren" have gotten poll
tics and patriotism so confused that
little evidence of a spirit of loyalty it
left in the western contingent of that
boss-ridden organization.
The biennial spasm with which the
State republicans have long been Attic
ted usually originates in the eastern
section, but the westerners succeeded
in getting to the bat first this year. At
a meeting of their clubs in Hickory last
raigning the Democratic party as the
week resolutions were adopted ar
Influence that brought on the war in
it's failure to make a drive on Mexico
and demand respect for the flag on the
high seas. Listen to these words OF
! "patriotism:"
Resolved 1. The United States by
the action of the constituted authorities
of our government is now at war,
and the western North Carolina Repub-
Ilfcan Clubs Association favors a most
vigorous prosecution of the war to a
speedy and successful termination"
CAT war by the action of the constt-
'tuted authorities? % And why did such
action become necessary? Does any
intelligent citizen have to be told?
Can it be possible that men like Tom
Settle, Mike Whitener and BroWnlow
Jackson are ignorant touching the ne
cessity of the United States taking up
arms in defense of common decency at
our own doors and against rape, arson
and murder abroad? Is it necessary
to remind them that "the action of
our constituted authorities" in declar-
ing that a state of war existed between
the United States and Germany QOng
before the President severed diplo-
matte relations with Germany was
first justified by a practically unani-
vote of republican senators and
representatives in congress But the
brethren" say they favor a vigorous
prosecution of the wal to speedy and
successful termination" and we pass
IN to the next "~resoIve:"
"Resolved 2. That if the Demo
administration had promptly and
irmIy maintained and upheld Ameri-
an rights on the high seas, in Mexico l
md throughout the world, oEr fGg +
you'd have been respected and there :
" the country would have escaped the s
calamity OF this war"
This sounds a good deal like recent
Ltterances Of Marion Butler, of fraud =
lent bond fame, who sat upon the {
While the resolutions were
eing considered and who afterwards
favored" the delegates with one Of his
characteristic attacks on the North ,
democrats. A day previous t
Settle and Mike Whitener had t
o1emnly declared that the convention
1ust place patriotism above politics, y
,ut they either changed their minds +
bout it or were in a hopeless minority
7hen voting time came on the passage c
# the resolution. for a piece of cheap Z
r political clap-trap lever emanated
rom a meeting of any character. 1t
) needless to remind wel1-informed
eople that President Wilson took &C
on Immediately upon the sinking of
Lusitania and succeeded in secur-
1g a promise from Germany to aban- F
her murderous submarine policy.
Ihat more could lave been done, at ?
lie time, to maintain and uphold Amer :.
rights upo nthe high seas? The
resident was not inclined to plunge .
lie country into bloody wal and the
= v-iced their approval of his po- ID
by returning him to the White
.ouA But after Germany returned
!, the wholesale slaughter of innocent d
.n-combatants, in the face of a sol p
agreement, and the United States 9
compelled to take up arms in self q
efense it is d~eplorable that any class r
f citizens should undertake to saddle
lie responsibility for such action upon m
lo administration. That the country T.
as not ready for wal long ago was no
.uIt of President Wilson and intelli-
ent people know it. But hear this
IF "phrase-making" if you
i'll:
Resolved 8. That we deplore the
levitable loss of American lives and
~onerty which confronts us. and we
as responsible a national
Olicy which has lacked the wisdom OF
vr~nrience and the stability Of nI1rDoGe l.