New-York tribune., 1918-07-20
Taft Tells State Republicans
Draft Limits Should Be Wider

by William Howard Taft to the coun-
try to elect this fall Republican Con-
gress, which he declared would stimu-
late the Democratic President by Of
fering constructive criticism of the Ad-
mnistration's action and inaction and,
by legislation, enlarge the nations
military preparations, was issued by
the former President, addressing the
unofficial Republican State Convention
here to-day.
Reiterating his advocacy of an army
of five million men, Mr. Taft told the
delegates that now is the time to raise
the great forces needed to win the war
With a Democratic Congress, awaiting
the Presidents lead rather than CO.
ordinating with the Executive, he said,
this will not be accomplished with the
promptness which is imperative.
While conceding the masterful ahil-
ity of the President in stating the
country's aims in the war, Mr. Taft as
serted that the Administration has not
tical war policies. He criticised also
the tendency of the Administration "to
allow party considerations too much
sway in it's appointments to important
tasks" and declared that "politcs has
not been adjourned" as indicated by
what he termed Presidential nterfer-
cnce in the party affairs of Wisconsin
and Michigan.
Must Help Win War
The former President said, in part:
Everything we do now and every
thing We say must help win the war.
The President has said, Politics is
adjourned.' He is certainly right, in SO
far as politics is to be used for per-
sonal ends or party triumph. But
popular government, even in war, must
be carried on by parties Party spirit
must, of course, be suppressed where
it hampers or embarrasses. On the
other hand, party organization of pub
lie opinion may be the best way to Sc
cure needed government action. That
is the present case. The nation needs
the Republican party to give popular
expression to an affirmative aggressive
war policy. It's success at the polls in
ton to adopt one. A Republican Con-
gress will enact legislation to initiate
and carry it on.
The present Administration is to
remain in power two years and half.
BY that time, even though the war
continues, our then military strength
must leave no doubt of the result. We
are not now concerned with the ma
tional election of 1920. That may take
care of itself. Its outcome will depend
upon circumstances which one cannot
now forcsee. Our present task, as
patriots and Republicans, is to help the
present Administration organize the
potential force of this country into
knockout blow to William of Hohen-
zolern and his compliant German
peopls. .9I1s m - s;,
arations for the war by the Adminis-
tration? We must admit that to
change o peace-loving democracy like
ours into nation which shall make
an effective modern war on a huge
scale is no easy task. There must be
waste of money, effort and time in
such a transition. Much has been done
by the Administration, and we'll done
We should not minimize in any degree
the credit due to it for our conscripton
law 1t was indispensable to carrying
on this war. 1t was democratic in its
principle and effective in its operation.
1t could not have passed but for the
efforts of the President and the Re-
publican minority. Its execution, under
the able, directing hand of the judge
advocate and provost marshal general,
has been admirable.
Delays Urged as Lessons
Other achievements in war prepara-
ton may properly be claimed for the
credit Of the administration, whose
patriotism and earnest devotion to its
great moral war aims no one can cues
ton. We need not dwell upon the un-
tortunatc delays in the manufacture of
NHes, machine guns. artillery, ships
and airplanes or the costly blunders of
the coal administration. They should
be used as lessons. The credit of the
Administration for the work which has
been done, however. should not be ex-
aaggerated by Ignoring the great powers
freely given it by Congress and the
wonderful national resources with
which it has had to work.
ut may fairly be said that the Adj
has allowed party consid-
erations, which the crisis should have
entirely neutralized, to rule too much
N It's appointments to important tasks.
NJ oreover, for year it deprived itself