Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-08-16
led the debate in opposition to the international policies

lot Woodrow Wilson.
The later's campaign was made with the Issue of the
WAR DIS one of the chief factors. There were other issues IN
Ivolved, it is true, but the war overshadowed all others.
The great East, supposed to be seething with pro-war
sentiment, voted almost solidy, as state units, for M. Hughes.
the great West, where anti-war sentiment prevailed in a
marked degree, supported Mr.. Wilson with substantial unan-
unity.
If the war issue had any effect whatsoever upon the re,
suit of the election, and it unquestionably had, it was in favor
of Mr.. Wilson. 1t may be said, so far as the result was affect
led at all by the war, that Mr.. Wilson won his reelection ON an
antwar platform and that Mr.. Hughes lost on a pro-war
platform.
Those throughout the West who voted for Mr.. Wilson
largely, if not wholly, because he had kept US out Of war,
were unprepared for the seemingly sudden change in his in
ternational policy.
There had been no shifting of the issues with the European
belligerents. Democracy, as such, so far as the American
public could perceive, occupied the same relative relation to
the war in 1917 that it occupied in 1914, or in 1916 when the
American political battle was fought.
The submarine was but an incident in the war. It's only
possible effect upon the war, SO far as America is concerned,
was and is that, without American Intervention, it might have
enabled Germany to become the absolute master of the sit
uation.
War itself is anarchy: national or international anarchy,
as distinguished from personal or individual anarchy. 1t is
ia settlement of differences through the arbitrament of the
sword, the result depending wholly upon might.
If we entered this war solely because Germany had re-
newed its submarine war; the face of its promise, previously
made, to refrain, our entrance was for the purpose of pro
tecting American rights, and American rights only. Democ-
racy in Europe, or elsewhere, had nothing whatever to do with
the case.
Bear in mind that we are not assuming to state indisput-
able facts. but are merely presenting the case from the view
point of thousands and tens Of thousands, perhaps millions,
of western men who voted for Mr.. Wilson because he had kept
us out Of war.
But in his statement to the American people with respect
to Americas position, Mr.. Wilson treated the submarine as
a mere incident, which indeed it was, and concentrated his
efforts upon a dissertation regarding democracy, pointing out
that the further development of the principles of democracy
and the preservation of such democracy as the world already
has, rest upon the overthrow of German autocracy and its
allies. It was a great state paper, but it failed either to sat
|isfy or %enlighten, in view of preceding events.
If, without American Intervention, the submarine would
have enabled Germany to win the war, and as a consequence
democracy was hanging in the balance, the president omitted
to take the country into his confidence. There are too many
men from Missouri when it comes to questions of state for
any mans opinions to be accepted without question.
If our present allies could have won the war without
Americas active help, despite the German submarine, then
America gains nothing by becoming an active factor excepting
the satisfaction involved In helping to dictate terms Of peace.
In any event, even though our allies might have lost il
we had not interviewed, many western people look upon the
European war as a s~emi-family row-as condition growing out
of the avarice and ambition of numerous royal families some
what inter-related. Whats that got to do with Americag' &
may be heard from many a lip. sIf Germany should come
lover here and try Il click on our own ground, we'd show ZEN
in a jiffy.n
1t serves no useful purpose 20 tell good, loyal Americans
that sAch reasoning is fallacious. The obvious thing for the
IpoWefs Ihat pc az washington to5uo as 10 IaKestne people lnIo
their confidence and tell them why, exactly why, We are il
this war, and why, exactly why, 1T IS allimportant for Us t.
lstay in until We and our allies shall have attained the objects
for which we are fighting.
IS Germany could have won through its submarine and j
I'VE are III the war because of this fact, why not be frank about
t and tell the people SOL Why not tell them, IA addition
what the administration knows, and why II knows IL, about
ithe intrigues and counter-intrigue on the part Of those mill
Itary autorcrats Sof Europe whose overthrow NE consider IS
vital for the preservation of denocratic institutionsi
It ishigh time that congress Hceased to fritter away III
The congressional and the administrative chautauqus
Icannot be inaugnrated too soon, although We entertain no fears