Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-21
VERY RIGHT MUST
RULE, SAYS WILSON
President Calls New Jersey De-
mocracy to Rise to Meet
New Conditions.
OLD SLOGANS POWERLESS
Acid Test of Justice and Right
Action to Soon Come as
Never Before.
OLD SLOGANS POWERLESS
INy A.aociated rrc..

Ky Associated rrcs..
NEWARK. y. L., March 2o-Ncw
IcrscE Democratic leaders. assembled
here Tonight for a reorganization ban
1uct. we're greeted hy n message from
President Wilson. as national head OF
the party. calling upon them to rise
to the tcs; Of a new time when old
party slogans have lost their signii-
cancc, and to commit themselves TO
disinterestcd service to humanity.
IN a letter presented by Secretary
Tumulty. the Pres dent said tho ncceS-
sity for his staying 'on the job made
II impossible for MIN to he present; but
II was clear that in the present pos
ture of affairs in New Jersey he could
not overlook mis- responsibility to point
out what he believed To he tho duty al
the Democrats of tho state in grca,
hour Of crisis. lie reviewed briefly tho
record of tho party while he served as
Governor. declaring that in every act
of legislation "wc cut clear pathway
of public service" and gave the people
government they could feel was their
own, unhampered b.: special privilege
GRAVE CRISIS REACHED
Bf PARTY IN NEW JERSEY
"A time OF grave crisis has come in
the life of the Democratic party in New
Jersey" tho President wrote, "a time
when it's friends and supporters must
face the facts of the situation Of the
terrible days of war and revolutionary
change. when economic and social
forces, being released upon tho world
whose enec; no political seer dare ven
ture to conjecture. bid us search our
hearts through and through and make
them ready for the birth OF a new day,
a day we hope and believe of greater
opportunity and greater prosperity for
the average mass of struggling men
and women, and OF greater safety and
opportunity for children.
The old party slogans have lost their
Significance and will mean nothing TO
the voter OF the future. for the war is
certain TO change the mind OF Europe
as we'll as the mind Of America. Men
everywhere are searching democratic
principles TO their hearts in order to
determine their soundness, their sin
ceri,y, their adaptability to the real
needs OF their lifc and every man
with any vision must see that the real
test OF justice and right action is pres
entity to come rs il never came before.
The men in the trenches. who have
been freed from the economic scrfdom
to which some of them had been ac
customed. will, ii is likely. return TO
their homes with new view and
new impa;ieucc OF all mere political
phrases and will demand real thinking
and sincere action.
SHOULD FORGET ALI.
But THE NEW SERVICE
Let the Democratic party OF New
Ia lNff
the new service which they are TO
be called upon TO render The days
Of political and cco::omic recons;ruc-
tion which are ahead OF us no man
can now definitely assess, but we know
this. that every program must be sho;
through and through with nt,er dis
interestedness, that no party must try
TO serve itself. but every party must
try to serve humanity, and that tho
task is very practical one, meaning
that every program. every measure in
every program must he tested by this
question. and this question only: Is
it just, is it for the benefit II The
average man. without influence or pri-
vilcgc: does it cmbody in real fact
that highest conception OF social JUS
ticc and OF right dealing. without re-
spect OF person or ciasssor particular
interest"
This is a high test. 1t can be met
only by those who have genuine SYM
rathy with the mass OF men and real
insight into their needs and opportun!-
ties and 4 purpose which is purgcd
alike of selfish and Of partisan intcn-
ton. The party which rises to this
test Will receive the support of the
people because il deserves it,"