Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-30
SENATOR cuMMiNs olsPAssloN
ATgLv DISCUSSES pResl.
DENTS MISTAKE.
FOURTEEN PEACE pLANkS
HELD TO be INSUFFICIENT
cummins Declares They Could Be Dis.
eussed For Fourteen Years Without
Reaching Definite Results-Whippips
Of Germany First and Most Import.
ant Business.

following dispassionate analysis Of the
latest political utterance of President
Wilson:
1T Is difficult to speak temperately
about the situation presented by the
presidents appeal to vote for demo-
Gratis only at the approaching election.
For the president to interfere at all in
this direct way, is of very doubtful
propriety, but I do not object 80 much
to the fact Of his interference as | do
to the basis of his interference. When
he says or suggests that the election
Of a republican congress would weaken
him in the prosecution Of the war or
in imposing upon Germany the proper
conditions of peace. he not only in
suits every loyal republican in the
United States, but he impeaches the
intelligence OF both friends and foes
turnout the world. Everybody knows.
and the president especially knows.
that the election of, a republican sem
ate and house would be interpreted as
an imperative demand for the uncon-
ditional surrender Of the military
forces of Germany and her associates
in the war; for complete disability in
the future, and for adequate reparation
as we'll as full restoration.
Presidents Terms insufficient.
Defeated as she rs, there is at this
moment nothing Germany wants so
much as to settle on the terms pro-
posed in the fourteen articles OF the
presidents program. The truth is
that republican victory just now will
make it reasonably sure that Germany
will have to do something more in
expiation for her brutal crimes than
the program of the president requires;
and it is my Judgment that so far as
the war is concerned, the president
wants democratic congress to
strengthen him with Great Britain
and France rather than to strengthen
him against Germany.
1T is to be feared that our allies
are somewhat embarrassed with the
scope OF the program for universal
regeneration, knowing that the four
teen articles can he discussed for
fourteen years without reaching any
very difficult result.
His chief desire for democratic
that he is a democrat of the most
partisan type. and he is hoping for a
congress that will submissively follow
his will in all legislative matters. This
is made evident by his published letter
to the voters OF New Jersey. issued on
the day following his general appeal
to the country. In it he asks the
people of that state to vote against
Senator Baird, the republican candi-
date for the short term on the ground
that he recently voted against woman
suffrage. At the same time he is in
sisting that Senator Simmons OF
North Carolina. Senator Shields OF
Tennessee and others, all of whom
voted against the suffrage resolution.
shall be reelected. This is consistency
with vengeance and demonstrates
the extremities to which the president
is willing to go in the futile effort to-
hold his party in power.
Whipping Germany our Business.
"As commander in chief. and for
the purpose of making this country
strong in war; and for the total over
throw Of Germany and her Cocoon
spirators. republicans and democrats
alike will stand by the president and
give him every man who can fight
every man who can work and every
dollar that can be expended; and il
there be degrees in the earnestness and
enthusiasm with which they do it, the
comparison will not be 10 the dis
credit of the republicans:
1T may be that when it comes to
the general reorganization Of the
world and the agreements which it is
proposed the United States shall UNDER
take to maintain the revised political
map of Europe there will arise DIFF
ferences of opinion. but these differ
ences have nothing to do with whip
ping Germany. and that is our bust
ness just now.
Assuming that the war will be
prosecuted quite as vigorously with
republican senate and house of repre-
sentatives as under democratic con-
troll, it seems to me that there never
was time at which it was so import
ant to restore and continue a republi-
can majority in congress as 1t 10 now.
The war can not be prolonged more
than a year. 1t may end much sooner,
and then will come for this country the
work OF legislative Reconstruction, not
only OF our foreign affairs, but Of our
domestic affairs. The problems which
will confront congress will be Of SUI
preme Importance and OF unparalleled
difficulty.
Republican Counsel Needed.
Every phase Of social, industrial
commercial and economic life Is, and
during the war. must be abnormal
When peace comes, our way forward or
back to normal conditions will be the
most perilous path ever pursued by
mankind. We must prepare for the
transition, and the preparation for
peace is not less vital than getting
ready for war was formerly. without
unau!y d;sparasing my democratic
friends, 1t can be said that this gigan-
tic work will be safer in republican
than in democratic hands. The history
of the country proves very clearly that
the republican party has capacity for
constructive legislation which the
democratic party has never been able
to acquire. The unscrambling OF the
eggs which. on account OF the war.
have been thrown into the platter is
beyond the ability Of party which IL
controlled by one section of the coun
try. and that the least important part.
"The immense powers with which we
have invested the president. most OF
which were necessary for the successful
prosecution Of the war. must in large
measure be withdrawn or re-adjusted,
and 1t Is manifestly unwise to COM
nit this task to democratic admins
tration. that In tho very nature OF