The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1918-10-04

l
to play golf"
All! thought he, and daily baths
and tail coats and top hats and all
that Who cares for those fellows
But not thought for the mothers
| with babies at their breasts who
were blown to bits by the awful tor.
pedoes or suffered unsought ''thrills'
of horror as the ship sank under
their feet Did these all carry golf
bags which put them beyond the pale
OF pity and protection? Were all
these mere trifiers going to "bask In
| the sunshine?"
Not word then or ever, so far as
ever learned, did he speak in con-
demnation of the brutes who ordered
or those who committed this shame
less crime against humanity and the
laws of the world
He was one of the few governors
who appointed representatives to sail
with the possibly sincere, but certain
ly silly, Ford peace expedition. Had
this expedition succeeded in taking
the boys out of the trenches" they
| probably would have met the fate
Italians later met when they were
called out on a peace pretext and
slaughtered
Never Condemned Atrocities.
If Mr.. Willis, as governor or man.
ever condemned the horrible atroci-
ties committed on the helpless and
harmless inhabitants OF Belgium,
France, Poland, Serbia and Italy.
which were often too gross for pub
lie mention, it has escaped my atten-
ton. If he ever expressed approval
of the president or of congress, /
never heard of it. If he had been a
member of that body and had voted
as he talked, he would have graded
with McLemore, LaFollette and the
others who failed or flinched when
the nations honor and safety were
at stake
When anyone seeks a position un-
der the government, or in any of the
war service organizations, such as
the Red Cross, inquiry is made about
his attitude on the war before this
country entered it. II ne was then ).
pro-German or a "pacifst" he is re,
iected.
For nobody who could feel the least
inclination to side with Germany then.
after her designs and practices were
revealed, can be depended on as
heart and soul against Germany now.
though he may have promptly taken
his own country's side since it de-
clared war and honestly thinks the
poison is all out of his system
While, if he is opposed to war for
any cause, or believed America has
no just cause for engaging in this
war. we can not feel that absolute
certainty about him which there must
be about anybody who has TO do with
our boys on the field OF battle He
may really mean to do his best but
his best may not be good enough
Shortcomings of which one is uncon-
scious are the most dangerous.
Will the alertly patriotic people OF
Ohio be less careful than the govern
ment, the Red Cross and the Y. NJ.
c. A.?
"4is Lights Are Dim"
do not say Mir Willis is not loyal
and patriotic according to his LIGHTS.
have no doubt ne is But his Gghts
are dim and badly adjusted He does
perceive the bearing and significance
of what he does see. But / do say,
and would say it if he were the
Democratic instead OF the Republican
candidate for governor, that it would
be most unwise to choose him for
Ohio's leader in this war
Perhaps he is afflicted, as some
other seems to be, with ingrowing
and incurable partisanship do not
know He certainly played to the
kaiser's hand before we entered the
war Whether he was conscious of
it or not makes no difference. For
his election would cause rejoicing in
Potsdam and spread dismay among
| our comrade nations. 1t would De
taken everywhere as a rebuke to the
president the same as a change in
! the complexion of congress would, no
matter how loyal to what he stands
| for it might really prove to be
1t has come to be recognized fea.
! ture of German tactics to ask for a
peace parley when things go badly
in the field One of the best things
! the president has done was promptly
to expose and defeat the latest ruse
of this kind He does not propose
to slacken the step and check the
ardor of the boys who are headed for
Berlin The whole anti-German world
| has applauded the president for this
Governor Cox promptly joining in for
Ohio Has anybody heard from Mr.
Willis? Where does he stand?
The only peace worth the making,
| the only peace that will not blight
to utter barrenness our sacrifices at
home; the only peace that will not
make us ashamed to look our heroes
in the face wren they come home and
ashamed to visit or think of the far.
away graves behind the battle lines
must bear a stamp we never wish to
see elsewhere-"Made in Germany, ;,
but with the words added, by the
United States of America and Asse.
ciates."