The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-10-25
WILSON URGES
DEMOCRATS Be
PUT IN POWER
G. 0. P. Has Been Pro-War
But Anti-Administration
He Says in Statement.
(By Associated Press)

WASHINGlON, oct. 25.-PreSident
Wilson today issued an appeal to the
people to return democratic congress
in the November elections if they ap-
prove of his course in this critical
period
The president said he would accept
the country's verdict without cavil but
that if it was adverse the power to
administer the great trust assigned to
him would be seriously impaired.
Return of republican majority to
either house of the congress the presi-
dent said, would be certainly inter
preted on the other side of the water
as reputation of my leadership
Following is the presidents appeal:
MY Fellow Countrymen-The con-
gressiOnal elections are at hand They
occur in the most critical period our
country has ever faced or is likely to
face in our time If you have approx
ed of my leadership and wish me to
continue to be your unembarrassed
spokesman In affairs at home and
abroad, earnestly beg that you will
express yourselves unmistakably to
that effect by returning democratic
majority to both the senate and house
of representatives.
Il am your servant and will accept
your judgment without cavil, but my
power to administer the great trust
assigned me by the constitution
would be seriously impaired should
your Judgment be adverse and l must
frankly tell you so because so many
critical issues depend upon your ver-
dict. No scruple of taste must in
grim times like these be allowed to
stand in the way of speaking the
plain truth.
No Doubt Of Patriotism.
II have no thought of suggesting
that any political party is paramount
In matters of patriotism. I feel too
deeply the sacrifices which have been
made in this war by all our citizens
irrespective of party affiliations to
harbOr such an idea. l mean only
that the difficulties and deiicacies OF
our present task are of sort that
makes 1t imperatively necessary that
the nation should give its undivided
support to the government under
unified leadership and that Republi-
can congress would divide the leader
ship.
"The leaders of the minority in the
present congress have unquestionably
been pro-war, but they have been anti
administration. At almost every turn
since we entered the war they have
sought to take the choice of policy and
the conduct of the war out of the
hands of my hands and put it under
the control of instrumentalities Of
their own choosing.
"This is no time either for divided
council or for divided leadership. Unity
of command is as necessary now in
civil action as it is upon the field of
battle. If the control of the house and
the senate should be taken away from
the party now in power, an opposing
majority could assume control of leg
islation and oblige all action to be
taken amidst contest and obstruction
"The reurn or Republican majority
to either house of the congress would
be interpretative on the other side of
the water as reputation of my lead
ership Spokesman of the Depublican
party are urging you to elect a Re-
publican congress in order to back up
and support the President but even
if they should in this impose upon
some credulous voters on this side of
the water, they would impose on no
one on the other side. 1t is we'll un-
derstood there as well as here that the
Republican leaders desire not so much
to support the president as to control
him.
For Sake Of Nation.
"The peoples of the allied countries
with whom we are associated against
Germany are quite familiar with the
of elections. 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
by those who are in fact in
sympathy with the attitude and action
of the administration.
Il need not tell you, my fellow
that l am asking your
support not for my own sake or for
the sake of political party but for
the sake of the nation itself in order
that it's inward unity of purpose may
be evident to all the world. In ordin-
ary times / would not feel at liberty
to make such an appeal to you. In
ordinary times divided cOunsels can
be endured without permanent hurt
to the country, but these are not or
dinary times.
IF in these critical days it is your
wish to sustain me with undivided
minds l beg that you will say so in
way which it will not be possible to
either here at home or
our associates on the other
side of the sea. ! submit my Difficult
ties and my hopes to you.
WOODROW WILSON"
The Presidents action created a
stir at the capital. Republican lead |
ers declared it meant politics had been
and that the PresidentI
would be answered on the stump dur
ing the closing days of the campaign.
Several Republican senators issued
statements declaring that Republicans !
in congress had been more loyal to
the administration than the Demo |
Gratis in voting on war measures and |
denying that the result of the next .
election could effect the success of
he war. !