The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-11-02


individuals pretend to be scandalized
that the President should make such
an appeal. They are grieved, as they
say, that he has descended into the
realm of practical politics and they
deprecate the injection of his per-
sonality into the campaign.
G. o. P. Leaders Distressed.
Colonel Roosevelt, Mr.. Hays, Sem
ator Penrose and Senator Lodge, are
particularly distressed. There IS
scarcely a practical politician of their
faith in the land who has not torn
his hair, beaten his breast and ex-
pressed his horror and amazement
because the President has done, what
every other President has done, di-
rectly or indirectly, in like circum-
stances. In some quarters the frenzy
has reached such a height that the
President is openly attacked, his pol
icy is assailed, his leadership chal-
lenged. 1t is amazing how the hid
den flames of hatred of the President
burst forth now that there is no po-
litical advantage. in attempting to
smother or suppress them. In
speech at Carnegie Hall last Monday
night by Colonel Roosevelt, whose
personal animosity towards President
Wilson is notorious, he descended to
a plane of vilIifcation which was as
tonishing as it was indiscreet. HI
openly assailed the President, r.dicuI-
ed his policies ana advocated
change of leadership. Partisanship
Of the most ignoble character is seek
ing to 1istort and misrepresent the
substance and purpose of the Presi-
| dents appeal to the people. Abusive
the headquarters of the Republican
National Committee. This deliber-
ate campaign of SANDER will have no
effect upon the mind of any disinter-
| ested person who will take the trouble
| to read what the President himself
actually said.
Teddy's Communication
Colonel Roosevelt, in a communi-
cation addressed to the Senate de-
handed:
That the representatives Of the
American people, from one ocean to
| the other, declare against the adop-
| ton in their entirety, of the fourteen
| points of the Presidents address of
| last January"
rs it not astonishing that the
leaders of the Republican party have
waited until just about a week before
election to reveal their opinions of
the basis of peace set forth in the
fourteen points enumerated by Presi-
dent Wilson in his address delivereI
on the 8th of last January? During
the intervening months the world has
acclaimed the wisdom of his policy
and the business of his terms. No
| where amongst civilized nations has
there been raised q word of protest.
| If this sudden outburst of criticism
was based upon anything but par
| tisanship, surely it should have been
| revealed many months ago. Through
out the entire world there is no dis
| cordant note anywhere, except that
which emanates from the leaders of
the Republican organization. 1t is
noe thinkable that the great mass OF
patriotic Republicans who admire the
President, believe in his sense of JUS
tice and are in accord with the world
wide recognition of his great ability
dictive leadership under which then
party organization has fallen.
Wilson Has Been Frank.
ut is we'll that the President has
taken the people into his confidence
and submitted his difficulties to chem
The effect has been wonderfully il.
Illuminating. The insidious campaign
which has been going on for months
and which the initiated so we'll under.
stood, is now revealed to public scru-
tiny. No longer will the secret enc
mics of the President be able to Sc
cure the power to injure him under
the guise of campaign in his sup
port There must be an end tt
political sniping. The unity of com.
mand upon the battlefield that Wilson
insisted should be given to Foch, ans
which turned the tide of war mast BIZ
supplemented by unity of command
, at home. No political party is para
mount in matters of patriotism. NJ
l mans Americanism is challenged
. Every family in the land has Inadt
: its sacrifice in this war, but there Il
but one President. and under tn,
constitution he is commandment
: chief of the Army and the Navy ant
i will remain such for two years more
During that time the war will be con
cluded and the peace terms signed
He asks only that he be unhamperet
:, = in his work and that America shall
:, act with undivided leadership.
- Critics Protest
II 1.-THE critics of the President pro
. test against "a negotiated peace anC
u demand what they term unconditional
g surrender A campaign based upol
such a false issue presupposes that tn
i American people possess neither nnlnt
u nor memory. The American peopl
know that President Wilson has callec
upon Germany to surrender and tha
IS h, has drawn the outlines of an arms
II tice that will place the Allies IN a pc
T. sition to make 1t impossible for Ger
l. many to resume hostilities. In tn
's meanwhile, the war goes on and Ger
d many will either surrender in tn
~ open field or after such armistice a
re our Allies and Marshal Foch and hi
or military advisers think safe an
N proper.
Nor should we forget that Their
are today certain evil forces, certai
n hidden influences which are seeking
c. through the agency Of the Republica
ly organization, to thwart the Presider
In and to bring his policies to naugh
to These forces are purely selfish force!
u They do not believe in the Presiden
E. Despite his great achievements the
lie still regard him as a visionary; the
al have no faith in the possibility of pei
lie manent peace, and they decry any be
"a. lief in a league of nations to enforc