The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-08-15
TESTS OF PATRIOTISM

In DAYS OF excitement men are apt TO
lose their perspective. Conservatives
become radicals and radicals become vio-
lent extremists While the development
and maintenance OF 4 sturdy patriotism
Is the object Of good American citizens,
there is a" possibility Of going TO eX-
tremes and OF inttictiuG gross injustice.
The attention Of The 1ntelltgcnccr has
. been called to chart issued by the So
called National Security League. This
| chart pucports TO give the records o.
lone hundred and forty members OF the
3Sixty-fcurth and Sixty-ffth Congresses
| on particular propositions that came be-
fore those bottles.
The propositions arc rs follows:
: No. l-NcLcmoTr resolution: March =.
t1SIG. This resolution was 10 the effect
; that american citizens Should tnrrGo
. their natural. legal and constitutional
rights to tf.vel on the high seas.
. No. 2-Kahu amendment TO thH nay
: army bill: March %. 1916. This amen"-
, n,ent Souga, to increase tho regular
army. to $4,000. or more HHarlF a2-
. proachins the recommendations Oh 'hS
general staff Of the army.
. No. 3-Bra nd.grn amendment to the
; Hay-chamb.rlain army bill: April IL.
1915. This amendment provides Tor an
army of a50.0gn as against ii9.npP.
No. 4-.Sectinu SO" providing for a
volunteer reserve army wholly under
: federal control: April Is. 1918.
: No. 6-MoIion to recomn!t naval APP
propriation bill: Juno .. 1915. This mo-
ton vas designed Ia secure an incrcasc
in the navy beyond what was PROVIDED
70 in the original bill.
No. 6-Coopcr amendment: March |.
:. 1917. This amendment was Designed TO
: prohibit To American ships their legal
E right 20 carry arms or ammunition in
8 their cargoes.
: No. 1-Drclaraticn "t war against
Germany: .Nrril }. 1917.
No. S-kahn amendment 20 cnnScrp-
:. ton act: April -. 1917. This provided
:: for the raising. by CONSUMPTION. OF III.
- NECESSARY army 20 give effect |" the
declaration OF war.
Tn. members who voted for tho Nc
Q Lemorn resolution and tn" Cooper
amendment. and who voted against
either Of tho other SIX. are classcd by
the National Security League as pacttists
and pro-Gcrmans. The 1ntciligencer
notes with pleasure that not on "t th'
men 50 aSsailed WIS from West NIr'
ginia. ycs it believes this classification oi
national representatives. Is absolutely
absurd and unjust Among the NOR
@ cIaSscd AS being unpatrio;ic arc two for
MGR congressman from the state OF Ohio
veterans oc the Civil War. men who
riskcd their lives and shed their blood
for the Stars and Stripes before Some OF
the half baked patriots of the National
Security League were born into this
world. The tests Of American patriot
ism now arc not what men thought
about war-likc preparation tw" or three
wears ago, but what they think nov ant
what they do now. II the tests nd
yanced by the National Security LeaS"'
were to be made general. Woodrow WI
son. who talked about peace without vic
tory and about being too prou! to fight
and Newton y. BAKER a pronounced
paciffst, and Georg" fresl. who rrjotcet
that war found this country unpreparcd
ough. to nc denounced and ought I" b.
driven from their high places.
In tho SiNtytour;h and SiNty-ff'f
CONGRESSES there was necessarily mu"i
honest division Of opinion among VOL
meaning and thoughtful mon. No mas
IN America sought war. Every GcC'
ctt,zcn hoped to avoid war. and the mel