Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-11-01
Stand By the President. .

The above is the caption of an
editorial by the Des Moines Register,
of October Both, which although the
leading Republican paper of the state,
is wise enough and patriotic enough to
see that the opposition of Roosevelt,
Lodge, Knox and others to President
Wilson at the present critical time
when peace is about to be concluded. is
for the purpose of breaking his influ-
ence abroad, a situation which these
critics themselves realized during the
Spanish. American wsEt when Roosevelt
in congressional campaign plead for
q Republican congress to support
Mckinley, saying
Remember that, whether you will
or not, your votes this year will be
viewed by the nations of Europe from
one standpoint only. They will. draw
no fine distinctions. A refusal to sus-
tain the President this year will. in
their eyes. e,resd 40 q refusal to sus-
tain the war and TO- sustain ths efforts
Of our peace commission to secure the
fruits of war. Such refusal may not
inconceivsbly bring about rupture of
the peace negotiations It will give
heart to our defeated antagonists. It
will make possible the interference of
those doubtful neutral nations who in
this struggle have wished US III.
''You could not get the benefits Of the
victories of Grant and Sherman only BY
re.electing Lincoln and we will gain
less than we ought from the war if the
administration is not sustained at these
e ections. ~.
Former President Harrison. pleading
for the election of Republican congress,
said: .-. .,:.s,.. (.
If the word goes forth that the
people of the United States are stand
ing solidly behind the President. tho
task of the peace commissioners will be
easy, but il there is . break in the
ranks, if the Democrats score q telling
victory, if Democratic senators, con-
gressmen and governors are elected
Spain will see in it CLEAN of hope.
She will take . fresh hope and .
renewal OF hostilities, more war may
be necessary to secure to u swhat we
have already won."
Senator Lodge said
''But there is one question on Mhich
wish to say few words and that
seems to me to override all others. 1t
is whether we shall stand by the
and the President at
this juncture. II we give victory to
his political opponents. we say not My
to the United States, but We say to
the world, we say to the Spanish COM
in Paris, that the people of
the United States repudiats its result
and repudiate the man who has led
victoriously the war and 10 now leading
us back to peace-William Mckinley" "
If it was necessary that Mckinley be
backed by . Republican congress, in
our little affair with Spain, how much
more necessary is it that now when
the world 10 looking to Wilson to lead
in the peace moves and to provide
safeguards for . future permanent
peace, that he be backed by congress
of his friends and not his critics?
President Wilson does not call on his
critics for support, but he does ask for
the support of those who believe in his
policies. He is not asking for and
does not expect the votes Of partisans
of both high and low stations who talk
patriotism publicly and still persist
emily harrass the President for their
political advantage. II man in the
humber walks Of life would froth at
the mouth as has Roosevelt recently,
he would be slapped in jail for sedi'
ton, but the prominence of the man