The Robesonian., 1918-10-31
APPEALS
TO THE VOTERS
Failure to Return Democrats to
Congress Would Impair
His Power.

1
Wilson to his countrymen to support
him in this critical time by their votes
| in the elections November 9th:
| "My Fellow COuntrymen: The con-
| gressiOnal elections are at hand. They
occur in the most critical period our
| country has ever faced or is likely to
face in our time. If you have approx
ed of my leadership and wish me to
continue to be your unembarrassed
spokesman i'll affairs at home and
abroad, l earnestly beg that you will
express yourselves unmlstakably to
| that effect by returning Democratic
majority to both the Senate and the
House of Representatives.
81 am your servant and will accept
your judgment WITHOUT cavil but my
power to administer the great taskl
assigned me by the constitution would
be seriously impaired SHOULD your
judgment be adverse, and l must
frankly tell you so because so many
critical issues depend upon your ver-
dict No scruple of taste must in
grim times likes these be allowed to
stand in the way Of speaking the
plain truth.
81 have no thought Of suggesting
that any political party is paramount
| Ill HudI.eIS o. PdIIIoIlSH. 1 Ice! IoO
deeply the sacrifices which have been
made in this war by all our citizens
irrespective Of party affiliations to-
harbor such an idea. mean only
that the difficulties and delicacies Of
our present task are of a sort that
makes ic inperativeiy necessary that
the nation shoui give its undivided
support to the government under
unified leadership and that Repub-
lica41 Congress would div ide the lead
ership The leaders of the minority
in the present Congress have unques-
tionably been prO-war, but they have
been anti administration. At almost
every turn where we have entered the
war they have sought to take the
choice Of policy and the conduct Of
the war out Of my hands and put it
under the control of instrumentalities
: of their own choosing.
II "This is no time either for divided
council Or for divided leadership
!! Unities Of command is as necessary
now in civil action as it is upon the
| field of battle. If the control of the
House and the Senate should be tax
en- away from the party now in power
an opposing majority could assume
| control Of legislation and oblige all ac-
ton to be taken amidst contest and
obstruction.
>"The return of a Republican major.
ity to either house of the Congress
| would moreover, be Interpreted or
the other side of the water as a repu.
diation Of my leadership. Spokesmer
of the Republican party are urging
/ you to elect Republican Congress il
order to back up and support the
| President, but even if they shoulc
in this impose upon some credulous
voters on this side Of the water they
would impose on no one on the othe1
| side. 1t is we'll understood there a.
! well as here that the Republican lead
ers desire not so much to support ths
= President as to control him.
"The peoples Of the allied countrie.
\ with whom we are associated agains
/ Germany are quite familiar with tn,
significance of elections. They woult
find it very difficult to believe tina
the voters of the United States hat
| chosen to support their President b.
| electing to the Congress a majorit!
Fl controlled by those who are in fact no
in sympathy with the attitude and &C
tions of the administration.
II 81 need not tell you, my fellow
| countrymen, that am asking you
| support not for my own sake or TO
the sake Of political party but fo
| the sake of the nation itself in Orde
! that it's inward unity of purpose ma,
y be evident to all the world. In ordi
nary times I would not feel at libert,
. to make such an appeal to you. Il
a ordinary times divided counsels ca
tic be endured without permanent hurt
Is. the country. But these are not ordi
Oc nary times.
eff in these critical days it is you
wish to sustain me with undivide
au- minds beg that you will say so in
en- way which it will not be possible t
IN ,,oie,,ndorc+and m oi+hor horo ~ boxoo p,
VS.. among our associates on the othe
er- side of the sea. I submit my difficu
'ac uc- ties and my hopes to you.
urt 'WOODROW WILSON,
the = .-0E S.E Il
no LONG RRANCH T,OCAT,S