New-York tribune., 1918-10-26
Politics Reconvened

The President of the United States
represents all the people as the Executive
head of the nation and as commander in
chief of the army and navy. But he is
also the leader of his party and no one
will deny his right to exercise the po
litical functions of that Office The only
questions involved are those of taste, pro-
priety and timeliness, and as to these no
judgment is infallible.
Several months ago Mr.. Wilson de-
clared politics adjourned on account of
the war People applauded the idea.
There was for some time hope that 1t
was feasible Elections might be held as
usual; vet loyalty should be the only
issue But loyalty turned out to be no
issue at all Both the great parties were
loval. Other issues began to develop,
some of them political, some of them his
toric. The Democrats continually ac-
cused the Republicans of playing politics,
and the Republicans produced IN reply
letters by Mr.. Tumulty and by leaders of
the Democratic party tending to disclose
kind of mystical obsession. 1t seemed
to them that support of the Democratic
party was not political choice in which
people were free, but a religious duty
from which none might be absolved,
whereas to advocate the election of a Re-
publican was a moral transgression.
Perhaps the mistake was in supposing
that politics could be adjourned in a !
country like this. Only one of romantic
and detached idealism, like the President,
could have imagined it seriously. We
regret with him, the failure of the un-
dertaking. Human nature is contrary
stuff
1t is the President himself who ac-
knowledges the shipwreck of an ideal
beyond the power Of common political
humanity to receive. He has reconvened
politics.
The letter in which he eXhorts his fell
low countrymen to vote only the Demo
cratic ticket, SO that divided counsels
which in ordinary times "can be endured"
may at this time be avoided, is one Of
the most interesting documents in our
history. 1t discloses both the fountain
source of that mystical obsession to which
we have alluded and the anxiety of the
Democratic party's practical counsellors
as to the outcome at the polls on Novem-
Der 5 next. Only party in fear of the
peoples decision would have demanded of
it's leader an appeal of this extraordinary
character.
The President has the fairness to say
that the Republican minority in Congress
"have unquestionably been pro-war." It's
offending has been of another sort 1t
has been anti-Administration,
He alleges that the spokesmen of the
NepuDllCan party nave imposed upon
credulous voters with the pretence of in
tending to support the President" !"
whereas, he asserts:
1T is we'll understood there as we'll
as here that the Republican leaders
desire not so much to support the
Pres i1oDt &c tO cONtrol hin,
The President does not wish to be con-
trolled, except, perhaps, by those ''at-
mospheric voices" which he has some
time spoken Of as voices to which he
hearkens reverently. They shall not be
Republican voices
We do not quarrel with the Presidents
letter. Rather, we welcome it as re-
lease. The Republican party is openly
challenged. 1t has been more inhibited
than the President will easily believe bv
his injunction to adjourn politics. 1t has
conducted it's campaign so far under Sc
rious restraints. 1t has refrained from
criticising the President. even on DO
ltical grounds.
But if the President, IN ms role Of
Democratic leader, may reconvene poll