The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-25
WILSON In APPEAL
Continued from Page One,


Continued from Page One.l
Dor such an idea. 1 mean only that
the difficulties and delicacies of our
present task are of a sort that make
lit imperatively necessary that the ma
ton should give it's undivided support
to the government under a unified
leadership and that a Republican con-
gress would divide the leadership.
THE leaders of the. minority in the
present congress hive unquestionably
been pro-war. but they have been anti
administration. 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
instrumentAlities of their own choos-
ing. This is no time either for divided
counsel or for divided leadership.
Unity of command is as necessary now
in civil actions as it is upon the field
of battle. IF the control of the house
and senate should be taken away
from the party now in power, an OPP
posing maj ority could assume control
OF legislation and oblige all actions to
fbe taken "a mid contest and obstruction.
S~'-s On the Other Side.
THE return of, Republican majority
| TO either house of congress- Would, more
over, certainly be interpreted on the other
side OF the water as a reputation of my
leadership. Spokesman Of the Republican
party are urging you to elect Republican
congress in order to back up and support
the president, but even il they should in
this way impose upon some credulous
voters on this sides of the water, they
should impose on no one on the other
side 1t is well understood there well
as here, that the Republican leaders de-
sire not SO much to support the president
as to control him. The peoples of the al
led countries with whom we are associated
of are nr h.y
find it very difficult to, believe that the
voters of the United States had chosen to
| support their president by electing to the
congress a majority controlled by those
who are not in fact in sympathy with the
attitude and the action of the admfnis-
traticn.
Not for Own Sake.
-"I need not tell you, my fellow country
men, that | am asking your support not
pary BUT for rot the sake Of 81 the
nation itself, in order that its inward unity
Of purpose may be evident to all the world;
| In ordinary times | would not feel at
liberty to make such an appeal to you.
/ In ordinary times divided counseIs can be
endured without permanent hurt to the
country. But these are not ordinary times
If in these critical days 1t is your wish to
sustain me with undivided minds. | beg
! that you will say so in way which it will
not be possible to misunderstood either
| here at home or among our associates on
| difficulties and my hopes to you
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON"
Reconvene Politics.
The presidents action created stir
at the-capitol, Republican leaders de-
| claring it meant, politics had been re
convened" and that the president
would be answered on the stump dur
! ing the closing days of the campaign.
Several Republican senators issued
stateme nts declaring that Republicans
in congress had been more loyal to tn 3
administration that the Dem ocrats in
voting on war measures and denying
| that the result of the next election
could affect the success of the war.
The president said he would accept
the countrys verdict. but that if it was
adverse, the power to administer the
| great trust assigned to him would be
seriously impaired.
| Came as BoI1bshell.
! The presidents appeal, tho it has
| been expected in congressional circles,
| acted much like bombsheIl. Repub-
/ Leans could scarcely contain their in
dignation and resentment. Democrats
applauded the statement. declaring it
will undoubtedly mean the election of
a Democratic congress.
! Many members withheld comment
until they had time to read the presi-
dents appeal carefully. The comment
which was made. follows:
Should Ask Republicans.
| whip of the senate-"It seems to me
! that the election of the majority of
Dem in the house and senate
! would be vote of lack of confidence
! in the prosecution of the war. If a
! vote of confidence is desired by the
administration he should ask for the
election of g Republican senate and
Republican house because the con-
gressional record shows that on all
war measures. the Republicans have
been more loyal to the administration
! than have been the Democrats
| Senator Frelinghuysen. Republican,
New Jersey-"Poiitics is adjourned be
/ damnedi"
| Senator Knox, Republican, Pennsyl-
vania-"1 cannot believe the Ameri-
can people can be persuaded that the
! success OF the war would be in the
slightest degree affected by the results
! of the next election. To deny other
/ wise Is to deny the facts of history"
Senator Hitchcock, Nebraska, chair
man of the senate foreign relations
committee-"The president has stated
the exact faces. Es was practically