The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1918-11-01
THE PRESIDENTS
APPEAL

Washington, oct. 25.-President
Wilson today appealed to- time cOun-
try for a vote of confidence ln hHS
leadership both at home and abroad"
hy returning the Democratic Com
gress. His statement FOLLOWS:
MY Fellow COuntrymen: The
Congressional elections are ut hand.
They occur in the most critical period
our country has ever faced or I'D like
ly to face in our time. IT you have
approved of my leadership and wish
me to continue to be your unem-
barrasSed spokesman in affairs at
home and abroad, I earnestly beg that
you will express yourselves unmiS-
takably to that effect by returning a
Democratic majority to both the SEN
| ate and House of Representatives.
It have no thought of suggesting
your Judgment without cavil, but my
power to administer the great trust
assigned me by the Constitution
would be seriously impaired should
your judgment b. adverse, and must
frankly tell you 10, because SO many
critical issues depend upon your YER
dict. NO Scruple Of state must in
grim times like these be allowed to
stand in the way of speaking Tine
plain truth.
'I have no thought of suggesting
that any political party II paramount
IT, matters 0f patriotism + feel too
keenly the sacrifices which have been
made in this war by all our citizens,
irrespective OF party affiliatiOn. tD
harbor such an idea. I mean only
that the difficulties and delicaries of
our present task are OF a sort that
make it imperatively necessary that
1.-THE nation should give its undivided
support TO the Government under
unified leadership, and that RepubIi-
lean Congress would divide the lead
erShip.
"The leaders Of the minority III the
present Congress have unquestionably
been pro-war, but they have been
anti-Administration. st almost every
turn since W. entered tine war they
have sought to take the choice OF
policy and the conduct of tine war Out
Of my hands and put It. under the
control Of inStrumentalitiaS Of their
own choosing.
This il no time either for divided
counsel OH for divided leadership.
Unity of command is as necessary
now in civil actions as 1T III upon Time
field Of battle. II the control OF the
House and Senate should be taken
away from the party now III power, an
opposing majority could assume con-
| troll OF legislation and oblige all ac-
ton to be taken amid contest and OBJ
Estr1ctiOn.
THE return OF Republican ma
jOrity to either house Of Congress
would, moreover, certainly be inter
preted on the other side of the water
d. "a reputation Oh nay leadership.
Spokesman of the Republican party
are urging you I'D elect Republican
Congress in order to back UP and
support the President, but even ifi
they should in this way impose upon
some credulous voters on this side OF
the water they would impose OF no
one on the other side TIT IL well
understood there as well I'D here that
the Republican leaders desire not so
much tO support the President as tc
control him.
The peoples of the Allied coun-
tries with whom we are associated
against Germany are quite familiar
WB.
They, would find it very difficult to
believe that the voters of the United
States had chosen to support their
President by electing to the Congress \
a majority controlled by those who
are not, in fact, in sympathy with
the attitude and action OF the Admin
stration.
aI need not tell you, my fellow
cOuntrymen, that T am asking your
support not for my own sake OH for
the sake OF a political party, but for
the sake OF the nation itself, in order
that its inward unity Oh purpose may
be evident to all the world.
Tn ordinary times would not feel
at liberty to make such an appeal to
YOU. In ordinary times divided cOun-
ellis can be endured without perman-
emit hurt to the country. But these
are not ordinary times.
'If in these critical days 1T is your
wish to sustain me with undivided
minds, ! beg that you will say 30 i'm
q way which II will not ID possible I'D
misunderstood, either here at home
or among our associates ON Tine other
side OF the sea.
aI submit my difficulties and INV
hopes to yOU.