New-York tribune., 1918-10-30
League in Statement AS
serts Vote Plea Is migrate
full and Trcacherous
Arraigns His Policies
Irdicts Him for Weakness and
Vacillation in Conflicts
EARLY Days


the courary TO send Democrats to Con-
gross on the ground that Republicans
while pro war" arc "anti-Administra
ton
The declaration was approved by the
executive committee OF the league at n
meeting held at the Lawyers Club.
when it was offered by Ralph Goddard,
chairman of the special committee SC
lcctcd TO draft an outline Of the views
of the organization. The document, it
Is said, speaks for 100000 members Of
the League of Republican Clubs in all
parts Of New York State.
Make Appeal to Americans
The text of the statement follows:
We invite the considcrate Judgment
of all patriotic Americans Of whatever
'party. who cherish tho principles Of
representative government founded by
the fathers, which have stood the test
of century and half. to the follow
ing lndisputable and specific truths:
"First-That Woodrow Wilson, Pres
ldent of the United States, in contra
vention of his declared purpose for
politics adjourned vigorously adhered
10 by Republicans. who have given him
their patriotic support, now, in this
eleventh hour, using the power and in
fluencc of his great office, has put
partisanship above patriotism in an
unfair demand to exclude Republicans
from all share in the government. with
the avowed purpose of bringing all the
powers of government into such sub
lection to his will as to make him
practically autocrat of the United
States at the very time the chief aim
of the war is to destroy the autocracy
of Europe.
Second That, under the pretext
'cxigency of war with this amazing
and menacing purpose, he proclaims
tion,' though admitting that it is pro-
war
"Third-1t is obvious that the exi
ecncy of war-which could be the only
preteXt for SO arrogant claim--is not
the real basis of his action, as no
charge could be made of lack of sup
port for the prosecution of the war
and as it is expressly admitted that
the Republicans have unquestionably
been pro-war.
Treatment Called Treacherous
Fourth That Republicans every
where throughout the country feel, and
of right should feel, ungratefully and
trcacherously treated after giving a
million of their sons and billions of
.heir dollars and placing all their re-
sources unboundcdly at the service Of
the country and having been from the
beginning the party of preparedness,
pressing against the inertness of the
Administration, bringing the bulk of
tho sinews of war, of business initiative
.pJ hn rnprcV and roSOurrcc which
have carried the war to what is now
within reasonable assurance of sue
cessful conclusion.
"Fifth-The platform of the Repub-
lean party is unconditional Surren-
der and Republican participation in
the government will in no wise be
deemed a disturbing factor by our al
lies, for each of them in the stress OF
the conflict has adopted coalition gov
This with the unquestionably desirable
matter of single military command in
an army i'll battle.
"Sixth-Mr. Wilson was elected
against the vote of practically half of
nc country, the forward looking half
against the backward half, upon the
platform largely that he kept us ont of
war and he chose his coadjutors upon
his basis, with group of Southern
sectiouaiists and pacifsts of his party
in command of Congress.
1t Is the Nations War
1T is not Wilson's war. 1t is the
nations war. And it must be the
eternal verdict of history that if there
had been leader when war became
the stern duty of this nation, with
inspiration and preparedness, the lives
OF millions and measureless woe and
waste might have been spared
"'The problems of the settlement Of
this war will be the most stupendous
of modern times. Our part of its
multitudnous and complex elements
viii call for the intelligence of the
mighty adjustments wholly to the will
We stand for as a nation.
"The working governments OF our
allies have been welded in fiercest
tires of criticism. There has been a
harmony Of contrasts in the develop
ment of the full powers of the ma
tlons.
1--WE ask if review of the past
course of President Wilson is wholly
reassuring. Does his lack of spontane.
Gus sympathy with the outraged peo-
pies whose rights had been violated;
ms idSh VI any llUPulSe Oh righteous
Indignation at Prussian oppression, or
perception of Prussian purposes; his
slowness to comprehend the real ,sir-
nticance of the war; his vacillation.
lncrtness and lack of preparedness
particularly recommend him now as
the arbiter Of the worlds destiny?
Not his rhetoric, but the voice of the
guns has done the persuading
W:1Cnp'u \,t,
An analysis might not show anv-
thing marvellous in his diplomacy when
he held the sceptrc of the greatest
power the world ever witnessed -
Neutrality in deed and thought; TOO
proud to fight after the Lusitania;
wanting to be told what the war was
about after two years of our indignant
shame; Peace without victory: his
fourteen articles of January, 1918. so
vague and obscure they might mean
all things to all men,
The President knows he will have
undivided support for the war There
turks the we'll grounded suspicion that
he is against the party of unconditional
surrender because he harbors some
purpose short of that.
"Seventh-ls the pretcXt unity of
counsel--which admittedly means sub
ordination to the will of one man-to
prevail over our century proved princi-
pie OF checks and balances and coordi-
nation of government in the great
crisis of reconstruction. which must be
met in the lifetime Of the CONGRESS-
about to be elected?