The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-26

under his own eyes and with his
knowledge and consent, without stint
and apparently without scruple. 1t
can and doubtless will be proved that
the machinery of partisan propa-
ganda by means Of Executive appoint
ments has been working full time
during tho period in question. That
Is all over now, for President VII
SON, who originally pleaded for the
adjournment Of politics, DEGREES the
resumption Of politics when he I'M
fairly, unjustly and untruthfully at
tributes an unpatriotic partisanship
to the members Of a party which has
been supporting his war measures
far more loyalty than many Of the
men Of his own political stripe in
whose campaign interests he now in
tervenes with n demand to their
titular opponents for unconditional
surrender.
v.
A Republican victory in the Con-
gress elections, a defeat Of the Kitchins
and the Dents and the overthrow Of
the narrow witted and malicious oil
garchy which has dominated Demo
cratic policy In Congress so long will
not be reputation Of the President
in the eyes Of Europe. Only he could
imagine 1t, II he indeed believes 1t. 1t
will not DO a weakening but a
strengthening Of this nations potency
in the war for democracy. for 1t will
be one Of the most notable illustra-
tons Of the principle Of self-deter-
mination that our friends and enc
mics could ever behold. 1t will not
destroy, as the President alleges, the
unity Of national leadership. On the
contrary It will bring to his side for
all international purposes, vigorous,
hopeful and entirely patriotic sup
porters Of the flag, determined to
win the peace Of victory; replacing
many Of the political slackers and
war obstructionists and disastrous
nincompoops who have nothing in
common with the President except
the party label, and who have hung
like a dead weight at his skirts and
heels all the time he has been pro.
crossing toward n really American
position with regard to the war.
This Is the support the Administra.
ton will gain in all issues American
II his extraordinary appeal to self
respecting voters goes UNDECIDED. THE
Sun, which has uniformly supported
the President in his war measures
not without legitimate criticism as to
details but absolutely without thought
Of politics partisan as to the Ad
ministration or personal as to the
President, can promise him this. II
he believes the contrary he has beer
misled-we had almost said seducet
by the lying partisanship Of com
mon Democratic hacks.
vi.
There Is yet another aspect Of the
matter which may be family indi
Gated In one paragraph. Shall ther,
be self-determination In all othel
parts Of the world, and no self-de
termination In this republic? Shall
the rest Of the world be made SAT,
for democracy and the very first prin
ciple of democracy be vetoed in thu
United States by Executive decree
Perhaps this is, after all. the mos
| momentous question raised by tn,
Presidents departure from his an
nounced ideals. Perhaps nothing
better could have happened for tn,
preservation. In the long future
Of our cherished institutions Of rep
resentative democracy than thl
amazing pronouncement of yester
day. 1t will at least serve to brini
into the clearer light, certainly /
perhaps prematurely, broad Issues
Of domestic import which have beef
for some time dimly discernible il
| the shadows cast hV the Rrpa