Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-31

ever c0mpoSedf and signed Dy Two
former Presidents of the United States.
Seated at 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:
Deplore Party Politics.
1--WE approach this subject as Amer
leans, and only as Americans. When
this war broke out we would have
welcomed action by the President
which would have eliminated all ques-
enabled us all to stand behind him to
the end, without regard to anything
except national considerations. In
stead of this, partisan lines have been
strictly drawn from the>first, and now
the President announces that only
democrats can be intrusted with fu-
ture power and only those democrats
Election on other patriotic Americans,
we appeal for fair play.
'The next Congress will serve from
March 4, 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
Third. the democratic administra-
ton. after expending billions of treas
ura and exercising more absolute
power than any administration in our
history, must give an account of its
stewardship.
Fourth, the change from war con-
d1t1ons to peace must be brought
about with the least disturbance and
the work of reconstruction must be
broadly begun.
Tell Of Qualifications.
ga 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 a 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 a
minority party the republicans forced
upon 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
chairman of the military committee of
the democratic House opposed the
original draft with all the vigor possi-
try's cause was saved by the repub-
lican minority.
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. It is one
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
peace by negotiation. He has not
three lines, that which the American
people demand, an unconditional sur
render. His exchange of notes with
Germany has caused deep concern
among. our people lest he may by his
parleying with her concede her a
peace around a council table instead
of q sentence from a court The
fourteen points which the President
and Germany assume that they have
already agreed upon are so general
"OulO
be no treaty at all. but only a protocol
to an interminable discussion. The
President is without final power to
bind the United States to those four
teen points, although his language
does not suggest it. Still less has
We do not know that these points
include all that our allies may justly
demand, or do not concede something
they may justly withhold. For what
they have done for us we owe our
allies the highest good faith. It is
of capital Importance. therefore. that
we should now elect a Senate which
shall be independent enough to in
terpret and enforce the will of the
American people In the matter of this
to the uncontrolled will Of Mr.. Wilson.
House Must Be Considered.
'eNor can the attitude of the House
of Representatives be ignored in this
peace Every affirmative obligation
binding the United States in that
treaty must be performed by the
House as part of the Congress. The
present democratic majority in the
House has been subservfent to the
will of the President in every respect
except when critical issues in the
conduct of the war have been in
volved. The President has not hesi-
tated publicly to discipline those of
his party who have disagreed with
him and the lesson has had it's effect.
A new democratic Congress, with its
old leaders thus chastened. will offer
no opposition to his will They will
not be consulted in the future more
than in the past. In a democratic
Congress the American people will
not have the service Of an independ-
ent, courageous. coordinate branch
of the government to moderate his
uncontrolled will 1t is not safe to
intrust to one man such unlimited
power It is not in accord with the
traditions of the republic.
Third, the republicans voted with
out objection billions to be expended
by this administration. Six hundred
and forty millions for aviation were
given to the executive to build aero
planes, without a single Limitation as
to the manner or method of its ex-
penditure. A Senate committee has
deplored the waste and failure in the
use Of that money. The debts which
have been created by this war the
people win be paying to the third and
fourth generation. They have right
to know how these enormous sums
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