Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-10-30
WILSON Note
INSULT TO ALL
Chairman Hays OF the Republican,
National Committee Declares
President Impugns Loyalty
of Congressman
REPUBLICANS WILL
ANSWER AT THE POLLS
Note Cited AS Insult Not Only to
Every Loyal Republican in Con-
gress, But Every Loyal Re-
publican in the Land


VIII HI. Hayes, chairman of the
Republican national committee, made
public Monday statement in which
he replied in behalf of his party to
President Wilson's appeal to the na-
tion to return Democratic congress.
In his statement Mr.. Hayes said:
President Wilson has questioned
the motives and fidelity of your rep
resentatives in congress. He has
thereby impugned their loyalty and
denied their patriotism. His chal-
lenge is to you who elect those re-
representatives..
! ."You owe it to them, to the honor
of your great party, and to your own
self-respect to meet that challenge
squarely, not only as Republicans
but as Americans. l, as your chair
man, call upon you to do it.
Insult to all Republicans
Mr.. Wilson accords the Republi-
cans no credit whatever for having
supported the war measures pro-
posed by his administration, altho
they have done so with greater una
nimity than the members of his own
party. Despite that fact he accuses
them of having tried to usurp his
proper functions.
AT no time and in no way havo
they tried to take the control of the
war out of his hands. The president
knows that. The country knows it.
You know it. A more ungracious.
more unjust more wlanton, more
mendacious accusation never was
made by the most reckless stump
orator, much less by president OF
the United States, for partisan pur-
poses.
1T is an insult, not only to every
loyal Republican in congress but to
every loyal Republican in the land.
1t fully merits the resentment which
lrightfully and surely will find ex-
preston at the polls.
! +. Wants Only Rubber Stamps.
Mr.. Wilson grudgingly admits
that the Republicans have been
'Pro-war' Then why does he de-
mand their defeat? Because they
are still pro-war? Hardly that. No:
| it is because they are for peace tho
not without, victory; because they
do net believe lasting peace can be
obtained through negotiation; be-
cause they consider that u. S.
stands for unconditional surrender,
as we'll as for the United States and
Uncle Sam.
1.-THE Democratic congress does not.
Mr.. Wilson does not. There Is the
issue, clear as the MONDAY sun. The
country will decide.
"Mr. Wilson wants only rubber
stamps-his rubber stamps-in con-
gress. He says so. No one knows it
better than Democratic congressman.
He calls for the defeat of pro-war
Republicans and the election of anti
| <
war Democrats.
HE as the executive. is no longer
satisfied to be one branch Of the gov
ernment, as provided by the con-
stitution. Republican congressman
must be defeated and Democratic
congressman must be elected, as they
would yield in everything. That is
evidently his idea-the idea OF an
autocrat calling himself the servant
but bidding for the mastery Of this
great free people. eN
Good Enough for Soldiers.
Republicans in congress have
seemed to him good enough when
they assented, as they did assent with
highest patriotism and sometimes
Iagainst their best judgement, to his
proposals. Republicans at home have
seemed to him good enough to send
fully a million of their sons into bat
tie, to furnish at least half Of the
army and far more than half of the
money for winning of the war, but
they are not considered good enough
to have voice in the settlement OF
the war.
but Mr.. Wilson's real purpose
has nothing to do with the conduct OF
the war. He has had that from the
beginning, has it now, and nobody
dreams of interfering with ,his con-
i troll.
"He wants just two things. One is
full power to settle the war precise
lly as he and his sole, unelected, unaps