The Washington herald., 1918-09-07

ne sdy 81 W NAN ANc-
ident has asked me to become
candidate for United States Senator
from Michigan-A request from
President Wilson to me Is COM
mand.'
Yet on the very same page he
makes a fatal error, and one that
abundantly shows his utter unfit
ness for the position, by saying:
II shah not spend a cent nor
make a single move to get into the
Senate"
This is precisely the same as II
soldier, commanded to take a
German prisoner should say: Il re-
gard the wish of the President OF
the United States as command
but 1 shall not waste any energy
trying to carry it out shall not
make a single move to accomplish
what he wants accomplished.
Mr.. Ford also shows what he
thinks of the Presidents command
by saying further: Il certainly
would not make a public speech to
get the nomination or 40 be elect
ed"
We wonder what plan he has for
obeying this command" of the
President-what mysterious and
proper means he has evolved for
being elected in State where
every candidate for public office
has presented himself to the people
on The platform and has, in fact.
made moves, to be elected.
But IL these errors do not con-
vince the ordinary citizen that Mr..
Ford is not fit for public office,
office in body which will be called
upon some day to ratify treaties
and to conclude the things for
which we fight in this war. there
is other material in Mr.. Ford's
statement which is found to be OBJ
jectionable.
He says: II am a pacihst-I do
not regret the effort cat sending
the peace ship to Sweden)-I would
not walk acsoss the street to be
elected President of the United
States"
Mr.. Ford makes good CARA
car that goes up hill and down, on
city streets and sandy country
roads. 1t costs little money at the
outset. the expense of maintaining
1t is moderate. And Mr.. Ford shares
some of his immense. profit with
the men who work for him. But
these things do not At him for the
United States Senate above all other
men of his State.
There are other things that count
more than these-we think there
are other men in Mr.. Ford's State
who would make a speech to be
elected, and who would walk
across the street" to be elected
President of the United States-thu
highest position in the greatest
country in the world. We think
Michigan will agree with US.
Senators wax warm over the Stacker
raids in New York and Chicago. and
justly so, We think
Not that slackers should not be
caught up and given punishment, for
they should be dealt with by the law.
But when only per cent is the net
return of the catch IL shows that
something is wrong and that il should
be corrected before 1t is allowed to
grow and to embarrass hundreds of
thousands of good citizens of the ex-
tended draft ages.
America wants the draft because Il
is the best means OF raising an army,
on democratic basis, that has yet
been devised. But this does not mean
that countless irritations can be
thrown upon the public, by any
means. There must be Justice I'm its
administration and universality and
wisdom aplenty. If those qualities
are not bound into the enforcement
Of the law It will work a downright
hardship upon the people and will do
much to defeat the splendid showing
w haT IL
draft. Let common sense govern our
actions.
Which leads us to the observation
that in spite of college training and
extended experience and wealth and
all other qualifications that admit
men TO the valley of big things In
this world. there is no substitute for
common sense. 1t cannot be obtained
as a college degree, it cannot be pur-
chased or begged or stolen or in
herited-it can only result from care
ful, conscientious thinking and an
unfailing determination to make
things count in an honest, straight
forward way.
Some one from Tom MarshaIrs
home state called it ."hoss sense"
And that is what 1t is. 1t means
foresight as keen as hindsight. it is
necessary at all times in public af-
fairs but doubly necessary in times
like these.
Director McAdoo has wisely sat
upon the ambitions of some railroad
men to play the political game. The
step should have the Endorsement of
all partisans and non-partisans. 1t
should ha
or every railroad man from now on
to the end of the war-and after that
time If the government still has its
potent interest in railroad operation
Years ago many of the states were
under the hard and fast domination
or railroad politicians. The people
were gouged right and left because
OF this sway. 1t took years to rid
the politics of the states of this in
sidious influence and it. took other
years to wipe out the effect of rail- |
road political fixing. Some of the |
states in fact, have not entirely re- |
covered even at this time. All are |
on the road to more perfect political |
freedom. however. and Mr.. McAdoo's !
order Will encourage those who have !
been making long continued and earn
est nights for the new freedom.
Congress will likely chant a glad |
amen to the stop. There are many
members of both Senate and House
who have been fought by railroad |
politicians in times agone-and others
now at home in the ranks who were
set down there by the machinery OF |
the railroad politicians. The complete |
obliteration of railroad politics will
aid the government and the people, |
and, in the long run, the railroads
themselves.
Hundreds of thousands Of dollars