Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-31

s that such political conditons as
surrounded Lincoln in the Civil War
old not prevail when we were kept
cut of war" because it was 5000 miles
away!
Suppose our President had been
handicapped by an opposition party
Of copperheads, instead OF supported
~ patriotic Americans such as were
spd are leading the Republican party
enc the nation in far-seeing prosecu-
lion Of the war.
There lies our first duty. Our mex,
consideration is preservation OF the
party system. The salvation OF the
W. rid depends upon the maintenance
ct Americas democratic form OF gov
eminent to its full. There must be
O giving way to autocratic ten
denotes or the roofing Of sociallstic
extremes. Never was the political
duty Of thinking citizenship so mani
test. Never was the necessity for
more" and not less politics" so
great.
The man who does not see the need
Of more attention to politics does
not think, does not understand the
y orld crisis in any degree.
= fair and honorable contest for
LfTical power is our highest duty
today. We must not permit, in this
country or any other, a government
dominate the people. Peoples
must control their governments. and
cn,y strong divisions on theories OF
government can maintain the bal
.nce, one checking and clarifying the
ether
Hon. Frank p. Woods of Iowa, re-
Gently said:
"A party in power without op-
POSITION would tend to apathy. in
difference, inefficiency and neglect Of
DUTY. One of the benefits of the
,arty system has been clearly illus
rated since our entry into the war.
Prompted only by patriotic motives,
he Republicans in Congress have
aiken the lead in criticising several
fragrant failures of the Democratic
administration in advancing the war
rcgram. One conspicuous example
Vas the exposition of the admins
l2tion's inexcusable slowness in for
Garding the aviation program. 1t is
now freely admitted, even by Demo-
C:atic officials, that the criticism was
not only justified, but that it served
g splendid purpose in forcing marked
enc much needed improvements. Had
it not been for the Republicans in
Congress. these criticisms would not
have been made, as Democratic mem
hcrs, with few notable exceptions,
have refrained from criticising ex-
tcutive departments and are usually
1ound defending the administration
whether it's conduct be right or
wrong.
! This illustration could be applied
T. many other phases of Democratic
nismanagement Of the war. Wretch
Ell conditions in hospitals at army
cantonmentG were disclosed and bet
terments forced through criticism by
Republicans: reorga MIA ton of vari-
cas- bureaus in the War Department,
essential for success, has been OBJ
ia med; complications in the ship
building program resulting in most
serious delays have been pointed out
with telling effect; profiteering in
var supplies and tendencies toward
avoritism in awarding war con-
! racts have been exposed. While
conditions in these and other war
activities have been bettered as a re-
suit of criticism by Republicans,
there is still abundant room for i'm
movement, and the betterments that
lave been obtained would have come
slowly, if at all, had it not been for
such criticism
! There is no room for partisan poll
tics in the means adopted for driving
the war to successful issue. The
htoadest and keenest minds of all
parties should be employed in every
process of winning the war, and in
TIE reconstruction period thereafter.
! This is not political camoufIage but
common sense. Give thought to it
ard act patriotically for the benefit Of
,oui country and the world.