Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-04
The WISCONSIN ELECTIONS

Interest in the Wisconsin senatorial election ha.
|centered- more deanitely around the Socialist vote thar
around the question whether Lenroot or Davies would
be elected. The Republican and Democratic candidate,
are both loyal citizens OF the United States. ! The naw in
the armor Of MI. Lenroot was his vote for the McLemore
resolution prior to the declaration of war, and his gen.
eral attitude at about that time But IL he was mis-.
taken in his attitude then. there is no question that now
he stands squarely for the prosecution OF the war to 4
successful issue, and is ready to. support the president
in any measures which may be necessary to that end
No question has ever been raised as to the attitude OF
his Democratic opponent. Hence the voters Of wiscon-
sin were to make their choice between one OF two loyal
Americans on the one hand, and a man whose campaign
had been a campaign Of disloyalty and whose support
had been the support Of disloyalty. Hence the ques.
ton was not so much whether Lenroot or Davies received
the greater vote, but how the vote cast for either or
both Of them would compare with th4 vote cast for the
Socialist. Berger.
The combined vote of the two loyal candidates was
three times as great as the vote for Berger, hence it is
apparent that the people. of WISCONSIN are standing
pretty solidly behind the government in this hour of
stress, and that the spirit of Prussia nisn has not got a
thing more than $4,000 votes, which is far too many.
He could not have received a vote in a community,
whether native or foreign born, which was 100 per cent
In spirit, and whose members understood prop
erly the bearing that. the candidacy of such a man as
Berger had on the issues which are just now Of supreme
importance. -t N7'
The entire vote for Berger is not to be 'classcd as a
disloyal vote. Without question he did receive the solid
vote Of the disloyal element. And he received that vote
because those who are consciously disloyal recognized in
him and his propaganda aids to their damnable cause,
But out Of the thousands who voted for him many. were
undoubtedly actuated by a mistaken estimate Of the eco
nomic doctrines Of Socialism and of their bearing on the
one. Its doctrine is ostensibly purely economic. But
involves the whole program OF government. The econo-
program has had the support of a good many think
ing men. But there has been a marked exodus of think
men have found its doctrines to be incom patible with
the working out of the principles of government which
lie at the very foundation of national life. There re-
main in the party many, men who were attracted to it
by its %Elittering promises Of material betterment, and
who have not had the keenness of vision to detect the
insidious nature Of the attack which is being made on
real democracy through the fundamentally of the So
cialist economic propaganda. Therefore, in addition to
the votes Of the disloyal, Berger, Socialist and disruption.
list, undoubtedly received the votes of a good many thou
sand people who are at heart loyal. but who are mis-
taken in their estimates. s.
In any event, taking TIE Wisconsin primary and the
Wisconsin election together, Mr.. LaFollette will get cold
comfort sout ofsthe situation s~~e&+ r@as Mssz~ee seeaa