The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-08-01
Is Politics Adjourned? The Acid
Test Applied to Pacifist Ford

own dictrum that politics shall be, a.
IL ought to be, adjourned.
Our letter to the two chairmen pre-
sents the case as clearly as we cal
state 1t. but the wider possibilities o
crushing disloyalty, wherever 1t ma.
raise its ugly head. now or hereafter
through the patriotic cooperation
which would inevitably ensue from
adoption of the plan proposed are H.
Ilimitable.
We have only to add, as In indica'
ton of the far-reaching effect ant
practicability of the idea, that IL 3.O0t
majority In each Of the last two cleo.
tons should be accepted. except Of
course In special instances, as mark.
ing district as safe for the party
which carried 1t both times, the mum.
Der Of congressional elections woult
be reduced from 435 to less than 10(
and probably, by supplementary mu-
tual agreement, to not more than sew
enty-five.
Politics Is adjourned"
Will not the president make 1t so?
| We regret exceedingly that, since the
above was written, the president has
felt impelled to take action which
seems to demonstrate conclusively
that, in practice II not in theory, pol
itics Is not adjourned, so far as he and
his party are concerned. On June IL,
apparently by prearrangement, the
democratic conference Of Michigan in
dorsed Henry Ford, nominally repub-
lican, but really pronounced pacifst,
as their candidate for United States
senator and. on the following day, Mr..
Ford announced from Washington:
AT the urgent request of the pres
ident Of The United States have de-
cided to accept the nomination for
senator from Michigan IL rendered me.
Realizing that there are exceptional
opportunities for service to our peo-
pie during the present and coming re-
adjustment. l am ready and willing to
do everything / possibly can to assist
our president in this great work. Every
man must expect to make great flu
ture sacrifices and be prepared to
serve wherever the greatest need ex-
lists"
A more brazen or less defensible act,
belying his own words and breaking
his solemn pledge to the congress and
the people was never performed by
president of the United States.
I'VE confess to utter inability to
understand why Mr.. Wilson desires
Mr. Ford's election--unless II Is to
have a senator from Michigan who
can be counted on to vote as told"
says the Evening Post
That is to say, with full truth and
beyond the shadow of doubt, the
democratic party. under the dictation
of democratic president, Is going
to try to steal a seat" in the senate,
in utter violation of all the canons of
honor, of patriotism and of common
decency, at the very time when, as
never before in the history Of the re-
public, harmony and unity are requi-
site to the saving of the nation. Even
the World, the ablest and most faith
fu) supporter Of the administration,
cannot restrain an outburst of wrath
and disgust and, resuming, for the
moment, it's former high position as
an independent journal, tells the whole
story in these words:
When the president said to con-
gress the other day that politics is
adjourned 1t must have been with
some mental reservations. The at
tempt, with his approved. by the de-
mocrats of Michigan to force Henry
Ford upon the republicans as a fusion
for United States senator
nay not be party politics exactly for
Mr.. Ford is a republican, but 1t bears
/ strong resemblance to political STRAIT
'gy.
Party fusions for patriotic pur-
'oses have been suggested in states
md districts where there is a prospect
hat with the loyal vote divided, can
lidates opposed to the war or other
wise In sympathy with the enemy may
he elected. Michigan is not such a
tate. Its normal republican Majority
s large and the senatorial candidates
nus far suggested by that party an
wer every test of Americanism.
Although a republican. Mr.. Ford is
nown as an ardent supporter of the
resident and his war policies. BY
making such man their candidate in
state where one of their own num-
er has no chance Of election, the
emocrats show an agreeable willing
ess to support a republican, provided
hey have the privilege of naming
i'm.
1T is possible, however, that this
ever performance may not promote
lie patriotic harmony so greatly to be
esired at Washington. Mr.. Fords
hbiic statement that at the urgent
quest Of the president he has decid- II
to accept the nomination, is at d
asst unfortunate. and 1t would not be
uprising If 1t returned to plague "
m and others before many days. s.
Mr.. Ford adjourned his politics and c.
lcifism some time ago. Perhaps he o.
i'll he mora ucaf,,1 a., tbn .~u.. ~. =,