The Washington herald., 1918-01-03

ernmental affairs at a dizzy rate, so
far as comparison with the past is
concerned, someone rises to ask.
What would be the effect on the
nation IL we had had the recall on
some of our officials, and il great
policies. which we have lately laid
down. were subject to the referen-
dunn
The question calls for earnest con-
sideration. Because we have no fear
that so-caIIed progressive" leaders
will treat us to verbal castigations.
however. we will suggest that ii
is a very. very good thing indeed
that such instruments of government
al torture are not available.
A recall for President Wilson might
very easily have been brought on
when he recommended war with Ger
many. The country was not as thor
oughly alive to its danger then as
it is now. The patriotism was there
in many cases then. although npa-
thetic. In other cases it was not
present at all. and the number of
persons who would have supported
a recall then would have been in
fnitely higher than the puny number
which could be found now to sign
such a petition.
But the irrefutabIe fact is that the
recall would have worked serious
harm. II would have 6isorganiZe
America at the time when we should
have, and under the present system
in our history.
had been referred 10 the people of
the nation?
More DISCRIMINATION. We say. And
II the recall of the President had not
brought on 4 complete weakening Of
America in the war this surely would
have done so. Think of the oppor-
tunity the demagogs would have had
under the referendum on this meas
ure. And think of the work the
enemy could have done to sap Amer
ica's vitality
Or suppose that some of the rev.
olutionary legislation promoting our
shipping interests or our food pro-
duction affairs had been submitted
to a referendum. What a puzzling
lot of matter could have been thrown
onto the doorsteps and into the homes
of America to misinterpret MS anu
what deplorabIe results would have
been achieved by German agents under
such a campaign of referred legisla-
ton.
There are some phases of national
life which cannot be tampered with
by fanatics. 1t is to the credit of
American citizenship generally that
fanaticism has not been elevated to
the position of trust in the White
House. Evidently the. majority of the
people of the Nation have realized
the danger in full consciousness and
have averted 1t by the simple expe-
dent of coldly turning down the fa-
natic who sought at any time to
march into the mansion under the
gliise OF radical doctrines OF varied
assortments.
AS to the conduct of the affairs of
the different States of the Union the
recall and the referendum are allow
able. In many cases they make for
much good. But the policies affected
are vastly different from the policies
affecting the Nation. The States
cannot declare war with other nations
or among themselves--and war, al
ways possible. should be the danger
post TO nationwide enactment of poll
cies which might weaken the nation
tremendously and which might even
so completely dlsorganfze us as to
seriously endanger our very exist
ence.
The same objection applies to the
recall This country could never
stand for the enactment of 1egisla-
tion giving the citizenship generally
a chance to remove our highest officer
at will. or even, upon a minority or
majority petition, to attempt such a
removal.
We pause to remark that sup
port can be placed for our related
statement. too, that recall of de-
cisions should be treated with the
same disdain az the recall of ma
tional oficegst The fact that a IA
nous ex-President feels kindly to-
ward such legislation does not in
crease it's value, but rather illus
trates the major point we are max
ing-that even some of the ''self
executing" may he misled when
il comes to these radical depar-
lures from our forefathers' plans.
The campaign for national recall
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