Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-30
Address By Mr.. Hughes

The address of ex-Justice Charles
Z. Hughes to the American News
paper Publishers Association was so
admirable as an Interpretation of the
duty of the citizen in the war to pre-
serve civilization and democracy. so
judicious in dealing with the Gov
ernment's responsibility for the pun
ishment of sedition. so valiant in de-
Tending criticism of the conduct OF
the war, so flawless and invigorating
in its patriotism, so strong in the
faith of victory and of temper sane
and temperate that it ranks as one of
the inspiring utterances of the war
by q representative American.
There was the ring of exemplary
nonpartisanship in Mr.. Hughes dec
laration. Il stand on that plaform
supporting the President of the Unit
ed States" Coming from man
who was lately the Republican cam
didate for President and is now the
official leader of that party, the
pledge was impressive. Sincere with
that matter-of-fact honesty so char
acteristic of Mr.. Hughes. there was
no reservation. But he insisted on
the right and duty of what has been
called constructive criticism. 1t
could not have been better stated
than as follows:
War demands fighting men
who see straight and shoot
straight 1t also demands fight
ing critics who see straight and
are honest and candid in crit
icism.
The Department of Justice has
been charged-some say justly. 9TH
ers say without warrant-with slug
gishness in prosecuting the seditious.
Mr.. Hughes asserted that constitu-
tional power was not wanting to deal
with traitors and conspirators. 1t
must be remembered that he is an
eminent authority on the law. His
quotation from Lincoln might be
regarded in the light of a constitu-
tional precedent:
II can no more be persuaded that
the Government can take no strong
measures in time of rebellion be-
cause it can be shown that the same
could not be lawfully taken in time
of peace than l can be persuaded
that a particular drug is not good
medicine for a sick man because it
cannot be shown to be good medi-
cine for a we'll one"
1t is dangerous to invoke the Con-
stitution when the question is
WneLneT the ndIlcn snail ueal "lln
enemies within it's gates who plot to
betray ii to the enemy threatening
to destroy il. About the duty of the
press in time of war and its right to
immunity from arbitrary restric-
tons, Mr.. Hughes spoke brave
words:
There is only one rule acceptable
in war. 1t ought to be the only
rule in peace. but a state of war
should drive it home to our con-
sciences-the truth, the whole truth,
(save in a few instances where mill
itary exigencies forbid.) and certain
ly nothing but the truth
Stout in his faith in the ultimate
triumph of Americas cause, Mr..
Hughes did not, however, blink the
fact that the war would be long and
exact many sacrifices; drain the
country, it might be, of its manhood
and its resources. 1t was with
sense of responsibility as the leader
of his party that he said he approx
ed of the proposal ito put 5.000,00
men into the field at the earliest pos
sible moment That was a fine
saying that lit is not the measure
of our high calling to win a stale
mate or to gather a force merely to
hold line of trenches"
1t is the fighting spirit only that
counts now the infleXible resolution
Ito win a military victory il it takes
our last soldier and our last dollar;
and nobly did Charles Evans Hughes
Republican, but always the Ameri-
can and patriot, give expression to
the will of a great. free peoples