Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-02-01
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Editor S. P. Foster, in the Elmer Times, Elmer,
Salem County, New Jersey

CidCn Will IL
country is at war, but 1t has become q
necessity. This could have been avoid
ed by a coalition cabinet such as has
been found necessary in other countries,
whereby Republicans as well as Demo-
Gratis should have been called into high
counsels with equal responsibilities.
This is necessary because this Is not q
Democratic war nor a Republican war,
but a war on America, and to defend
America the fullest possible co-opera-
ton is necessary between all parties.
Without this we are flying around with
one wing clipped and n leg hobbled
by political considerations.
The Administration with all Its earn
estness and sincerity, has been blight
ed by political considerations, blinded
by political prejudice and made sub
ject to plumbers which might have been
avoided.
There has never been an instance in
any country where an Administration
has been so thoroughly supported by
the opposite party, but this co-opera-
tion has beer rendered almost nil by a
headstrong egotism which has nearly
annulled the sincere patriotism back OF
it and made it necessary for road
minded Democrats and Republicans to
oppose the Administration until it
comes to its senses.
This is not disloyalty nor abuse, but
q patriotic movement to bring order out
of chaos and to prevent the deaths OF
our young men at environments as well
as in battle. In the tremendous pro-
gress made toward equipping an army
we have called men faster than they
could be cared for, and some OF them
who should either have been left at
home or furnished with proper CLOTH
ing, have been placed in collins instead
of overcoats. These errors which re-
suited from patriotism unaccompanied
by proper efficiency and foresight, must
be avoided in the future, with the help
of the Administration if possible. but
in opposition to the President if neces-
sary. We hope Mr.. Wilson will con-
tinue firm in presenting bis viewpoint,
but be willing to listen aud yield to
other men of both parties; he must be
ever ready to give up pet notions II
overwhelmed as to opinions by other
equally patriotic men. He has great
powers entrusted to him, and Congress
has freely enlarged those powers SO
that if he chooses he can be dictator
with the greatest power of any potent
ate on earth, unless hobbled. To pre-
vent this hobbling it will only be neces-
sary for him to lend a listening ear In
the spirit of cooperation SO that all may
work toward onee end in harmony. Any
thing less than this will hurt the coun-
try and anything less should not be
expected. He has in his keeping the
chance to go down in history as greater
than any statesman who ever preced-
ed him, he must not prove unyield-
ing in the house of his friends, to at
tain that end.
When on the 17th day of January
1918, DR.. Garfield, fuel dictator of the
United States, declined to listen to the
request of the United States Senate,
made by a vote of 80 10 10, to suspend
for five days the enforcement of his
order for five Immediate holidays and
ten weekly holidays thereafter, he
stabbed Democracy in the back. HIS
order was a blow below the belt, one
causing indignation and rebellion of
spirit throughout the country, but to
refuse to listen to the most important
governing body in the world was far
worse. His first error could have been
partially corrected by throwing the
responsibility on the Senate, but to re-
fuse to listen to or khuckle one iota to
the Senate, was an objectionable sin.
The most serious phase of this action
lies in the act that President Wilson
stood back of him and upheld and con-
doned the action of his fuel admins
traitor. This is the more serious in that
the present administration is supposed
to stand for a Government which shall
be thoroughly responsive to the people
and has stated hat the world is not
safe for democracy until the Kaiser and
Prussian military power is made re-
sponsive to the German people through
the Reischiag or some other elective
body.
We do not know 0 fany act by a Presi-
dent or those high In power, commit
ed in the past half century in this
try, so contrary to our ideal of DEM
ocracy, as the refusal to listen to the
Senate, nor are we cognizant of any
act committed by the German potent
ates during the present war as arbitrary
and uncalled for as this refusal.