Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-02
PRESIDENT ACTS /.
ONLY FOR PEOPLE.
SAYS GARRISON
Former War Secretary Warns
Against Party Adj
vantage

New York, Feb. "A frank warn
ing to President Wilson that, in or
der to retain the peoples confidence,
he must conduct the war regardless
of party or personal advantage, was
delivered in New York by Lindley
M. Garrison, the man who resigned
as Secretary of War during Mr.. Will
sons first term.
Mr.. Garrison, who, since his with
drawal into private life, following his
disagreement with President Will
sons unpreparedness program for
military matters, has rarely consent
ed to make public speeches, address
ed the Kenyon Alumni Association of
the East from carefully prepared
manuscript, which he read slowly
and with extreme gravity. Mr.. Gar
rison said
THE fierce fires of patriotism have
fused the country into a solid mass
as to the end to be achieved, but
they have not burned out self-seek-
ing ambition or desire for PERSONAL
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Nothing which has
as yet come into the world has done
that and probably nothing ever will. =.
There has, however, so far been|
o wholesome and welcome absence|
of party spirit and partisan maneu-
YER. 1t has been absent though onlY
in allegiance. 1t should remain
so, but only by the self-abnegation of
the President and by his breadth of
vision and of action. The power
comes from the people. The use to-
be made OF the power is in his hands
The people furnish it, he directs it.
Through his direction will sue
cess or failure come. Awe-inspiring|
is opportunity. awe-inspiring is his
responsibility. The people will follow
him in compact and unbroken mass
so long as they believe he is thinking
and acting solely for them and re 4
gardless of party or of self; that
neither haughtiness of spirit, non
pride of opinion, nor personal adj
vantage, nor party advantage II
adulterating the purity of his purt
pose or interfering with the success
full prosecution of the war.
Should Leave Nothing Undonc
80 vital is this that the President
should leave nothing undone to del
serve and preserve this contidenceI
He must leave no plausible ground
for melting suspicion in the minds oi
the people that such is not the caseI
Suspicion that such is not the casd
will impair his power, and conVlcuolI
that such is not the case will destroy
il. His mind must be open to coun1
sci. He must welcome well-intenuon
ed criticism. He must draw to mi
side the ablest aids the country at
fords. His vision must be unobstructI
ed by personal or partisan considera
tions, and his heart and spirit mus
hold but one impulse-the victory ol
| America.
"Victory without regard to whd
achieves it. Victory without regard
| to who procures the reward for It'll
| Victory for the American people, foi
American principles, won by AmerI
lea acting with singleness of MIND
and singleness of heart. The powet
of the President acting in this way
is irresistible; unjust criticism will
fall from him as harmless as rosd
leaves fall in summer; party clamo1
or political malice will be as uni
needed as raindrops on the overi
lasting hills. His purity of purposd
and singleness of aim will be reflect1
ed in the steadiness and devotion ol
the people; and the com mbination Will
constitute an unbreakable and uni
| beatable unity.
"These are the truths we should
face in this hour of calm before thd
plunge into the mad vortex of deatli
and destruction which awaits III
over there" These are the thingI
we must ponder. these are thi
things he must ponder. On his del
cision and his action depend issues
| of transcendant import. May tn I
power which guides the minds and
| judgments of men guide him
Alright