Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-25
WILSON ASKS
SUPPORT
IN CONGRESS
Urges Return of Demo
cratic Majority in the
House and Senate.

washington. Oct Presiden
wilson today issued an appeal Il
the people TO return a Democrau
in the November election
Il thev approve Of his course in thi
critical period.
Return of a Republican majorit
10 either house OF congress, tn
,resjdent said. would be certainl
on the other side OF tn
vater as a reputation Of my lead
srship."
The president said he would ac
,eot the country's verdict withou
,ayil. but that If it was advers
he power to administer the grea
.rust assigned To him would be ser
ously impaired.
Text of Appeal.
Following IS the presidents ap
PEAL:
Ny Fellow Countrymen:
The congressional elections
are at hand They occur in the
most critical period our coun-
NV has ever faced or is likely to
face in our time. If you have
approved of my leadership and
wish me to continue 10 be your
unembarrassed spokesman in
affairs at home and abroad, 1
earnestly beg that you Will ex-
press yourselves Enthusiastically
TO that effect by returning a
Democratic majority TO both the
senate and house of represen-
tatiyes-
am your servant and will
accept your judgment without
cavil. but my power to admin
lister the great trust assigned
me by the constitution would
be seriously impaired should
your Judgment be adverse, and
! must frankly tell you so be
cause so many critical issues
depend upon your verdict No
scruple in taste must in grim
times like these be allowed to
stand in the way Of speaking
the plain truth.
Solid Front Necessary
I have no thought Of suggest
ing that anything political is
paramount in matters of pa
triotism. l feel too deeply the
sacrifices which have been made
in this war by all our citizens,
Irrespective of party afilia-
tons, to harbor such an idea.
I mean only that the difficulties
and delicacies of our present
task are Of a sort that makes
It imperatively necessary that
the nation should give its undi-
vided support to the govern
ment under a unified leadership
and that a Republican congress
would divide the leadership.
The leaders OF the minority in
the present congress have un-
duestionably been pro-war, but
they have been anti -administra-
ton, At almost every turn since
we entered the war they have
sought to take the choice of
policy and the conduct of the
war out of my hands and put
It under the control of instru-
mentaiities Of tn IT own choOs-
ing
No Time for Split Council.
This is no time either for
divided council or for divided
leadership. Unity of command
is as necessary now in civil ac-
tion as it is upon the field of
battle. II the control Of the
house and the senate should be
taken away from the party in
power an opposing majority
could assume control Of legis-
lation and oblige all action to
be taken amidst contest and OBJ
struction.
The return of a Republican
majority 20 either house Of con-
gress would moreover be inter-
pEetatiye on the other side as
liquidation of my leadership.
party are urging you TO elect q
Republican congress in order
10 back up and support the
president. but even if they
should IN this impose upon
some credulOUs voters on this
side az the water they would
impose on no one on the other
side. It is well understood
there as well as here that the
republican leaders desire not
SO much 10 support the presi-
uent as 10 control him.
The peoples Of the allied
countries with whom We are
associated against Germany
are quite familiar with the sig
nlhcance Of elections. They
would find il very difficult to
believe that the voters Of the
United States had chosen 70
support their president by
electing 10 the congress a ma
Iorlty controlled by those who
are IN fact not in sympathy
with the attitude and action of
NE administration.
l need not tell you, my fell
loW cOuntrymen. that ] am ask
ing your support not for my
Own sake or for the sake Of a
polltlcal party. but for the
sake Of the nation itself in or
Ger that its inward unity OF
purpose may be evident 20 all
ne world. In ordinary times
would not feel al liberty 10