Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-12
PoIitics VS.. Statesmanship.
RcunhiIG..l senators started bi

DSpublic;Sl scia.o'' ~ H."'. w" re
furry Tuesday for the removal OF
George Crccl as publicity director be-
cause he said in an address on Mon
day:
Il will be proud TO my dying day
that my country was inadequatcly
prepared when II entered the conflict.
| To have been prepared would have
given the lie to everything we our
selves believed in and to oursclf avoid
| the position before the world.
Some OF the senators denounced
Crccl as a traitor and others wanted
To know what the mothers OF the boys
who are going to the front would
think of man who was glad their
boys had not been previously prepar-
ed.
II is u ticklsh subject; but we do
not mind saying what We think OF IT,.
and that is simply this: These Re-
publicanS are simply indulginS IN
partisan politics at a time when such
politics is worse than murder. They
are hddling while Rome is burning.
We would not have said what MIR.
Crccl said the way he said il: but we
do not see anything unpatriotic in IT,.
and we do not think the Republican
senators who make believe they are so
shocked, see anything unpatriotic in
| il either.
What Mr.. Crccl means 10 say as We
understand him. is about like this:
Germany. like a malcvolent thug,
with murder in his heart, practicing
daily with q pistol i'm order that he
might the surer kill his victim on the
first convenient opportunity. has for
half century been preparing herself
for the Subjugation OF the balance OF
the world" and Mr.. Creel is proud
that his own country has never been
guilty of any such practice or desire.
Mr. Crccl has right to feel proud
that his country has never occupied
such an attitude.
SO far ;,s we are concerned, we
regret that the United States was so
lily prepared as she was TO go into
this war, and we think it an ever
lasting shame on American states
manship that such was the case. But
in dealing with such a serious matter,
we want TO be frankly honest.
Ii the issue Of compulsory military
service in preparation for war had
been raised five years ago, we think
we would have opposed the propo-
sition to the limit OF our humble abili-
l. IN a
things then. We could have argued
that there was no danger except from
Germany, and with four thousand
miles OF sea between us and Germany
there was no need for fear. as the
whole world could not come across the
oceans and whip us on our own
shores.
But we do not see it that way now.
With flying machines and submarines,
the situation is different. and 1t Is
easy TO see that had we not gone into
this war when we did. Germany. after
overpowcring Russia. France and later
England, could and would have very
easily come over here and reduced us
to subjection before we could have
got ourselves ready to fight.
But after all. everything those Re-
publican partisans are saying about
Creel is little else than an arraign-
ment Of themselves. The Republicans
had control OF this government for
sixteen years continuously preceding
the breaking out Of this war. They
saw or ought to have seen the rapid
and steady growth Of German mill
tary and naval power. looking forward
to the destruction Of human liberty
throughout the world. and they should
have put this country in a condition
OF defense. II these Republicans had
been possessed with the courage Of
patriotism along with the vision Of
craftsmanship. commensurate with
the power that was theirs. Mr.. Creel
could not have made the speech he
did make on Monday. or II he had
made such a speech under the con-
ditions that now exist. he would in
deed be guilty Of treason.
II is the Democratic party that has
made such preparation for war as
has been made and II Is the Republi-
can party that is responsible-not
having made adequate preparation
before.