The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-07
DAMNED TO EVERLASTING FAM"
Editorial in c hicaeo Herald.

himself said Of his plot, while the de-
bate was in progress in congress, II
fail to see how such a pot is inspired
by unfriendliness on our part"
By their actions and by their great
err failure to act the twelve senators
showed their agreement with Herr
Zimmerman. The plot to conquer
Texas, New Mexico and Arizona prov
ed no unfriendliness on Germany's
part to the recreant senators.
Three minutes after the Sixty-fourth
congress passed out ingloriousIy
President Wilson took the oath Of Of
flee, beginning his second Germ. He
will arm American ships and he will
take whatever other steps he regards
as necessary to defend American lives
just as Lincoln did in the tumultuous
interval between March and July 4,
| 1851, when congress assembled to as
sist in the preservation Of the Union.
The supreme responsibility for our
national safety now rests with Presi-
dent Wilson. Congress has often be-
walled with groans and tears the
growing assumptions of the executive
power. Congress has complained that
it's prerogatives were being absorbed.
Here for once the nations executive
asked congress to share with him the
burden Of responsibility during the
heavy hours. And congress miserably
failed as only weak men can fail.
Congress passes out and another,
perhaps wiser. drawer congress will
take its place. Three Of the recent
senators will be missing. On that con-
gress will devolve the duty Of self
reformation.
Never again must 1t be possible for
a handful of senators to defy the as
semblage Of which they are members
and to challenge the will Of the peo-
pie. Some good will come from evil If
the power Of vocal obstruction is exor-
cised from the senate's methods of
procedure. The senate must organize
itself on a responsible democratic
basis. It must be enabled to enact it's
own determination.
Think of the anomaly of the pres
ent situation. In the house of repre-
sentatives, out Of 435 members there
were only Is ineffective votes against
the president. In the senate. with a
membership of SO. only IL stood
tionists were able to take advantage
Of an archaic parliamentary system
and create the false impression
throughout the world that the presi-
dent stands alone!
What an Inauguration has been
thus contrived for Woodrow Wilson!
No president since Lincoln, no Amer
1Cctu CACCul1N0 dL dIy uIIISSS IL
were Madison, has come into office
under conditions SO uncertain and so
fraught with peril. Not even did Lin
coin himself have to handle a prob
lem more serious when he left the
capitol on March 4. 1861, to take up
the task of welding together brok-
en- country.
What the beleaguered Fort Sumter
was to Linco1nt the Intimidation en-
barge is to Wilson. The same neces-
sity which came relentlessly to Lin
coin when angrI' South Clrolinians
opened fire upon Major Anderson's
garrison may come to Wilson through
lawless German submarines. No man,
North or South, was more anxious to
avoid war than was President Lin
coin in 1861. Today no man in Ger
many nor in the United States has a
greater passion for preserving an en-
durable peace than has President Will
son.
"A solemn time it is in American
history. The man in the White House
has done all that could have been done
to escape war. He will continue to do
all that is honorable. He has made
what preparations, naval and military,
congress would allow to deal with the
Of the coming days and
months and years.
The nation now, men and women,
will stand Loyalty behind their chosen
chieftain, willingly making the sacri-
fees for any crisis, hoping that peace
may Justly be maintained.