The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-10-23
HARDWICK TO TAKE
ISSUES TO The PEOPLE
SENATOR MAKES BRIEF STATE
MENT AS TO HIS ATTITUDE
TOWARD WAR POLICIES

/
Senator Thomas w. Hardwick is in
Atlanta on his way to his home in
Sandersville, where for a short time
ne will rest up from his congression-
al duties.
He went to Chicago with a Joint
congressional committee Immediately
upon the adjournment of congress to
investigate for the postoffice depart
ment the pneumatic tube situation
there. He is the chairman of the Joint
committee.
Senator Hardwick would not en-
ter into a detailed discussion at this
time of the political situation as it
concerns himself in Georgia, but he
did express the greatest degree of
confidence that the people would, in
large majority, agree with his views
once they came to understand them
by having them fairly and accurately
put before them. This the senator
will endeavor to do, in a series of ad-
dresses to be delivered soon Senator
Hardwick said:
Its impossible for a man to give
more than an opinion touching the
duration of the war, or to give more
than guess as to when it will end.
l have heard many intelligent men
who have recently visited Europe ex-
press the opinion that public senti-
ment in almost every European coun-
try was rapidly crystallizing in favor
of some kind of settlement of this
awful war and that it might become
strong enough to force the govern
ments engaged to come to a settle
ment within the next few months.
! 81 earnestly hope this may prove
true, and our people may thus be
spared, with entire honor and credit
to themselves, the enormous sacri-
fees of blood and treasure they 9TH
erwise must make.
Sees Several Years of War.
son the other hand, if this should
not prove true, it is my opinion that
the war will last several years, and
will cost this country infinitely great
err loss of blood and treasure than
the civil war cost it."
In respect to the situation in this
country, and with especial reference
to CONSUMPTION, Senator Hardwick
said:
'In the past l have not hesitated
to oppose policies that I believed to
be wrong, no matter by whom sug-
gested. In the future, I shall adopt
the same course. While it is the duty
of every patriotic American to sup
port the country, right or wrong, it
is likewise his duty to do all in his
power to keep the country right, and
to speak his opinion fearlessIy and
freely as to the policies it should
adopt.
Follows Honest Convictions.
Il regard this as particularly the
duty of the duly chosen representa-
tives of the people, and of their SEN
ators, and I should have little respect
for myself if I hesitated to follow
my honest convictions and use my
best judgment, because I feared
abuse or persecution.
each and every law that is adopt
/ ed in the manner required by the
constitution, and that is sustained by
the courts when its constitutionality
! is assailed, is entitled to receive, and
should receive, strict obedience, even
to its minutest details But the right
Of every free man to oppose the poll
cy upon which any statute is based,
to advocate the repeal of laws to
which he is opposed, or to test in
the courts the validity of any statute,
can not be denied or seriously chal-
! lenged, if this is to remain a free
country. Freedom of speech and free
dom of the press are among the basic
principles Of American liberty and
are among the first and most import
ant of the constitutional guarantees.
Plans to Make Addresses.
When asked what were his plans
for the recess, Senator Hardwick
said:
First of all, need some rest from
the arduous labors of the last six
months-then, it is my purpose to
make few addresses in certain parts
of the state, where | have been urg-
ed to do so. In these addresses, while
l shall certainly support the country,
and Loyalty support it, I shall not hes
itate to express freely and candidly,
my opinion of the situation, my judg-
ment as to the best policies to be
adopted by this country in the pros
ecution of the war, and in the hand
ling of the various questions that
grow out of the war and are related
to it.
81 owe the people of Georgia can
dor and sincerity and I shall endea-
vor to discharge my obligation. In
the effort to do so, l am neither to
be intimidated nor bulldozed, and all
the newspaper or personal abuse
from here to Cape Cod and back can
not do it.