Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-10-29
PRESIDENT WILSON
URGES PEOPLE To
ELECT DEMOCRATS
Says Return of Republican Ma
jority in Congress Would Be
Interpreted as "RepudiatiOn
of My Leadership"

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25.-President
Wilson today issued an appeal to the
people to return a Democratic congress
i'm the November elections if they APP
prove of his course in this critical pc
Rod
Return of a Republican majority to
either house of the congress, the presi-
dent said, would be certainly inter
preted on the other side of the water
as a reputation of my leadership"
The president said he would accept
the country's verdict without cavil but
that if it was adverse the power to
administer the great trust assigned to
him would be seriously impaired.
In statement addressed to my fell
low cOuntrymen" he said that the Re-
publican leaders have unquestionably
been pro-war, but anti-administration"
and said election of a Republican ma
jority to either house of congress would
certainly be interpreted on the other
side of the water as reputation of my
leadership"
wilson's Statement
The presidents statement follows:
My fellow countrymen: The con-
gressional elections are at hand.
They occur in the most critical pc
riod our country has ever faced or
IS likely to face in our time. If
you have approved of my leader
ship and wish me to continue to be
your unembarrasSed spokesman in
affairs at home and abroad L ear
nestly beg that you will express
yourselves Enthusiastically to that
effect by returning a Democratic
majority to both the senate and the
house OF representatives.
l am your servant and will accent
your judgment without cavil but
my power to administer the great
trust assigned me by the constitu-
ton would be seriously impaired
should your judgment be adverse
ana L frankly tell you so because so
many critical issues depend upon
your verdict. No Scruple of taste
must in grim times like these be
allowed to stand in the way of
speaking the plain truth.
support Is Needed
nave no thought OF suggesting
Ihat any political party is para
mount in matters OF patriotism. L :
1eel 100 keenly the sacrifices which
have been made in this war by all
our citizens irrespective of party
utilization, to harbor such an idea
1 mean only that the difficuItieS
and delicacies of our present task
are OF sort that make it impera-
lively necessary that the nation
should give it's undivided support
TO the government under a unified
leadership and that a Republican
congress would divide the leader
ship.
The leaders of the minority in the
present congress have unquestion-
ably been pro-war, but they have
been anti-administration. At al
most every turn since we entered
the war they have sought to take
the choice of policy and the conduct
OF the war out of my hands and put
II under the control of instrument
talities of their own choosing. This
is no time either for divided coun-
sci or for divided leadership. Unity
rE no. n aH
civil actions as it is upon the field
of ba tile. If the control of the
house and senate should be taken
away from the party now in power
an opposing majC rity could assume
control of legislation and oblige all
action to be taken amid contest and
obstruction.
would See Reputation
The return of a Republican ma
jority to either house of congress
would, moreover, certainly be inter-
preted on the other side of the wa
ter as a reputation of my leader
ship. Spokesman of the Republi-
can party are urging you to elect
Republican congress in order to
back up and support the president,
but even if they should in this way
impose upon some credulouS voters
on this side of the water, they
would impose on none on the other
side. 1t is well understood there as
well as here that the Republican
leaders desire not so much to sup
DOIL the DIGSlutil DIS " GOnLTOl MN.
The peoples of the allied countries
with whom we are associated
against Germany are quite fami-
liar with the significance of cleo
lions. They would find il very
difficult to believe that the voters
~ the United States had chosen
to support their president by elect
ing to the congress a majority con-
trolled by those who are not in fact
in sympathy with the attitude and
action of the administration.
l need not tell you, my fellow
countrymen, that I am asking your
support not for my own sake or for
the sake of a political party, but for
the sake of the nation itself, in
order that it's inward unity of pur-
pose may be evident to all the world
In ordinary times l would not feel
at liberty to make such an appeal
to you. In ordinary times divided
counsels can be endured without
permanent hurt to the country. But
these are not ordinary times. If
in these critical times, il is your
wish to sustain me with undivided
minds. 7 beg THAI YOU will say so
in a way which il will not be posi-
BILE to misunderstood either here at
home or among our associates on
the other side of the sea. I submit
my difficulties and my homes TO YOU.
~