Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-28
Disapproval (Limited).

President Wilson. it is announced
will actively oppose the nomination
or election Of members OF Congress
who have disagreed with his war
policies. That is. he will oppose
those who disagree with his present
policies. There is no indication that
he intends to oppose the reelection or
those who disagreed with him when
he said that there is such a thing as
a nation being too proud TO fight or
who disagreed with him when he ad-
yocated peace without victory. There
is nothing to indicate that he will OPP
pose those who spurred him out OF
his inertia after we entered the war.
He will probably not oppose those
who pounded upon the door Of the
Secretary of War while he was sleep
Ing under the delusion that the war
vas three thousand miles away"
Undoubtedly he would like to oppose
all these men who have dragged the
administration into active prosecu-
ton Of the war, but for the looks of
the thing. it is probable that they
will be spared from the Presidential
ruillotine. His axe awaits only those
who did not change when he did.
The Dallas, Texas, News Demo
cratic) has this to say:
Nothing the President has done or
is likely to do can be SO embarrassing
10 his friends in Texas as is his &C
ton in having put Mr.. Slayden under
the fatal ban Of the prestige of his
Office and of his own merited popu-
/; rity The News feels no concern in
the political fortunes Of Mr.. Stay
den. But it does feel deep concern
the fame OF the President and in
The principles of the Government of
which he is the head, and both Of
these have been made to suffer Ivy his
action.
The President can hardly suppose
the people of Texas will believe that
the reasons which he gave for max
ing his pronouncement against Mr..
SIavden make the whole motive of
lis action. 1t is ridiculous to say
that Mr. Sla yden has shown any lack
OF loyalty to the country since it en-
tered the war Nor could it be shown
that Mr.. Slayden has played the part
OF an obstructionist. About the only
barge that could be brought against
him is that he was more reluctant
tan many of us thought wise to
lave the country enter the war. But
if his were sin of such damning
kind as renders him ineligible to sit in
Congress, there are others in Texas
who have offended much more
faerantly than he, and against these
tho President has not spoken a word.
1t was not A principle of action the
President was following, else others
would have. fallen under the same
condemnation. There were particu-
lar and personal reasons prompting
him to destroy the political life of
Mi. Slayden. The fact that one of
Ny. Sayden's rivals happens to be a
,>insman Of the Presidents Postmas-
ter General will not tend to make
Public opinion lenent in Judging the
Presidents act.
It is to be regretted that Mr., Stay
Cor surrendered to the opposition Of
the President. He may have been
defeated if he had remained in the
contest: the fact that he retired in
6lcates that he himself thought that
his chance of success had been
destroyed. But by remaining in the
contest he would have given men who
feel that his faults, whatever their
erievousness. may be more safely
tolerated than the presumption of the
President an opportunity to express
their conviction. The News is quite
sure that the predictions and faults
Of Mr.. Slayden, whatever they are,
are not more menacing to the public
welfare than is the idea that the
President may properly use the power
Of his office and his own personal
prestige to prescribe a member of
Congress who has incurred his dis
pleasure or the displeasure of one of
his cabinet officers. If only men who
enjoy the Presidents favor are
eligible to occupy seats in Congress,
then Congress is something of a su-
perfluous institution.