The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-10-23
AUTOCRACY IN AMERICA
BY A. B. FUNK.

known and largely trusted. When
great problems are. now under execu-
tive consideration Wilson sends for
Colonel House, a stranger to the
American people, and one or two
secretaries of whom volume might
be filled with what their country
men do not know about them. Be-
cause of this presidential departure
from timeIhonored presidential pro-
ceeding, the wonder is that In the
hour when national destiny looms
large the people should 30 uncom-
plainingly submit to executive SUI
premacy, and that they do is mu-
tually creditable to the people and
to the executive. But, nevertheless
and Notwithstanding, the situation
does not invite unlimited executive
discretion, and the president Is I'M
speakably fortunate in the fact that
so much unmistakable evidence is
given Of fully reserved liberty OF
press and speech when he SO con-
spicuously needs to be saved from
the folly Of smallbore, friendship.
All such influence was furiously
jubilant when the president ndl-
Gated willingness for peace by ne
gotiation with Infamous criminals.
that but for the intense. condemna-
ton of this executive attitude from
the trenches to the back townships,
the president might not have recov-
cred himself in time to avoid serl-
Gus personal humiliation and ma
tional embarrassment. A man very
sure OF himself is wont sometimes
to be confronted by the stern fact
that in matters of general principles
or policy upon which the public Is
well informed, everybody knows
more than anybody.
To insist that Woodrow Wilson be
denied the authority to play lone
hand In this game OF national and
world destiny is not to discredlt nor
to discount great president. AND
for him to be admonished TO hearken
attentively to that greatest factor in
democratic government, a consensus
of public opinion, so eagerly inter-
preted by the greater of his prede-
cessors, is the part of real friendship
and fine understanding.
Want Wilson an Ally, Not Judge.
Toronto Mail and Empire: Presi-
dent Wilson Is believed by the Ger
man government to move in an at
mOSpnere OF alOOIuSSS lIOlu heAA1oAA
strife and passion that is not to be
found among the warning nations In
Europe. Somebody referred the other
day to the great advantage President
Wilson enjoyed by reason OF being
far removed from the war, his mind
unclouded by prejudice. and the
workings of his brain never affected
by the intrusion of strong emotion.
This may be an advantage to Ger
many, but we do not see how 1t IS
an advantage to the allies. They DO
not ask President Wilson to be the
cool, dispassionat judge between
them and their adversaries. but their
stout champion and supporter Just
as the American people are. 1t would
be a great thing for our cause II the
pres dent of the United States should
violate the unwritten law of his
country which forbids the chief
magistrate to leave its borders while
he is in office. We should like to
see him visit France and Belgium,
talk with some Of those who have
suffered through the war, and see
with his own eyes what millions OF
others have seen, but what the man
who most perhaps ought to nave
seen has never witnessed. One VINO
is to speak for the allies ought to
see what the allies see, so that ne
shall feel as the allies feel.