New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-10-31
TAFT AND ROOSEVELT PLEAD
FOR A REPUBLICAN VICTORY

New York, Oct. 31.-Theodore
Roosevelt and William H. Taft issued
here today a joint appeal for election
of republican majority in congress.
The statement was said to be the first
ever composed and signed by two for
mer presidents of the United States.
Seated at 81 table in the Union
League club, they prepared the state
ment and discussed old times at the
capital while it was being typed. The
appeal follows:
I'VE approach this subject as Am
ericans and only rs Americans. When
this war broke out we would have
welcomed action by the president
which would have eliminated all
questions of party politics. 1t would
have enabled us all to stand behind
him to the end, without regard to
anything except national consldera-
tions. Instead of this, partisan lines
have been strictly drawn from the
first, and now the president announc-
es that only democrats can be en-
trusted with future power, and only
those democrats who do his will.
Because of this reflection on other
patriotic Americans. we appeal for
fair play.
THE next congress will serve
from March i, 1919, to March 4, 1921.
In that period:
First, the war must be fought to
unconditional surrender, unless this
is achieved before.
Second the terms of world peace
must be settled.
Third. the democratic admins
tration, after expending billions of
treasure and exercising more absolute
power than any administration in our
history, must give an account OF It's
stewardship.
Fourth, the change from war con-
ditions to peace must be brought
ahout with the least disturbance, and
the work of reconstruction must be
broadly begun.
"a republican congress will be much
better qualified than one controlled by
democrats, to aid the country IN
adopting the measures needed for
these four great tasks:
First, even as q minority party, the
republicans made the winning OF the
war possible by passing the original
draft bill. Without this we could not
have trained and landed the two mil
lions of men now in France. AS
minority party, the republicans forced
upon a reluctant president and Secre-
tary Of war, after an injurious delay
of four months, the amended draft act
without which we could not put two
more millions at the front next july.
The speaker, the leader and the chair
man of the military committee of the
democratic house opposed the orig1-
nal draft with all the vigor possible.
1t was saved, and so our country's
cause was saved by the republican
majority.
Second, the new senate must ap-
prove, by two-thirds vote, the terms
of peace. Those terms should be set
tied not by one man only. cit is one
man control we are fighting in this
war to suppress. If the peace treaty
is to be useful in the future, it must
be approved by the great body Of the
American people. The president has
indicated a willingness to make a.
peace by negotia ton. He has not de-
manded, as he might have done In
three lines, that which the American
people demand, an unconditional sur
render. His exchange of NOES with
Germany has caused deep concern
among our people lest he may, by his
parIeying with her. concede her a
peace around a council table instead
of sentence from a court. The
fourteen points which the president
and Germany assume that they
already have agreed upon are SO gen.