Evening journal., 1918-02-19
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1918.
As TO TMO cLAssEs or CnITIcs.

IT tvENING JOURNAL Is a Republican newspaper
4 Woodrow Wilson President Of the United states
is a Democrat
John G. Townsend Jr, Governor of the state Of Della
ware, is q Republican.
Charles II. Ten weeges Federal Fuel Administrator
Delaware, is a Democrat
And YET beneath h all when it TO The matter Of
winning this war this newspaper knows partisan poli
tics, and IL looks upon those public officials in their
winning work, not Republicans not Democrats but
as Americans who doing their very best TO
phsh the ends that sought to be attained
We certainly do not with Mr. Wilson and MIR Ten
vecges with respect TO the principles and the
practices Of the party to which they belong. There
may be times when we do not agree with Cover
nor Townsend matters Of political and public
policy And again, even matters OF war-yinning policy
fpe may be- and there naturally at times differences
Of opinion But lose sight of the fact that those
thre men, Others similarly situated have been chosen
ioimportant positions Of public trust at Of the most
tr>ing times in our national history.
Nor do lose sight OF the fact that they try
ing do their best in This emergency and that it is the
duty Of all patriotic citizens, matter TO what poco,
party they may belong, to stand back OF and support
them.
In addition observation has convinced MS that few II
an5 Of those who themselves zap the merciless
critics Wilson Mr.. Townsend and Mr.. Ten Wesses
could do The work well il it were given TO them To- do
under existing conditions and that a vast majority OF
their reservations to the contrary could not do t at al'
While postmaster in the ae of criticism they past
ncompeients in the art Of performance.
We think however thu t.c most contemplate OF hosa
critics the man who realizes bis own Incompetence
who covers his Incompetence with camou1age and who
seeks dscredit patriotic public officials not in the hope
g heerng the public SERVICE, bat IN The hope tina, he
.4nouOage behind when hc has screened DIS real sell
Niil fool the people and enable him to win votes
for himself at primary a general election.
Fuel Administrator Ten Wecgas, Democrat though he is
and Democrat though he may remain recently has been
made the target for ihe shafts both classes OF these
critics Most OF them have ndulged in such crit-
csn in The face Of The well known ignored fact that
in this fuel crisis there State the Union that has
Jared better, in the main. than has Delaware and that
there is no city Of corresponding size the Union that
has fared better i'm the main than Wilmington under
the fuel Enthusiastically of Mr. Ten Weeges Conditions
State at large and in the crcmscrbed bound
aries Of city have not been AN that the people might
desire but neither have they been such in other states and
cities And the broad fact remains that the face Of
short fuel supply abnormaly bad transportation cond-
ons delivery service which could cope with an un-
precedened congesed volume OF orders poor bust
ness connections in many instances and in Others
short lines OF credit by dealers and consumers tho
Lions in our state and city would have been chaotic
i not actually runous II dealers and our house
holders and business had enjoyed the bene-
az Of the practical experience and honesty Of purpose
Of Mr.. Ten Weeges.
So much for that class OF critics Now let MS turn our
attention for little while to that other class which
would sharpen its political axe on the grndstone
Of national emergency and its political knife on The
wietstone Of public necessity
~ such critics the real issue whether armies shall
De raised to fight for world democracy not whether ships
shall be built and coaled TO take those armies across 60
Europe TO prevent the German, the Austrian the Bugar
ian and the Turkish armies from coming over here: not
whether shipyards, munitions factories other in
apsires shall be kept moving 20 win the Not at an
10 the minds Of such critics the whether by
preyins upon disturbed public mind; by playing upon
he raw hearts Of the people, and by nstgating ndul
Jag in unfair and unwarranted attacks upon pub
lie officials who doing their part TO the war they
csn successfully the old hreadbare Of The
weeping wang and disconsoaie friends Of doNnrod-
4enepeople and win nomination at party primary or
an cfnce at general special election.
Those are the gentry with whom Americans who are
Americans and patriots Who patriots should prepare
e deri mercIessly and draslicay party primary or
IN aeeneral "A special election
While is true that iho american heart is raw in this
-aA3 is equally true that resoIuie and that the