The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-10-31
Taft Charges that President
Wilson Seeks to Be Dictator

publican leaders with seeking to take
the choice of policy and conduct of
this war out of his hands by putting
it under instrumentalities of their
own choosing.
The difficulty with this statement is
that it is not true. The mere men
ton Of the name Of julius Kahn and
his work in this Congress answers
every reflection the President makes
on the Republican minority.
What the Republican leaders at
tempted to do was to furnish the
President with an executive organiza-
ton by which he might carry on the
war more effectively. There was not
the slightest suggestion that he was
not to appoint those who were to ex-
ercise the powers under his super
vision and direction. He did not wish
to delegate power to his appointees
sufficient to enable them to achieve
what had to be done and so objected.
In the end he was driven to do in
more awkward way that which
months before the Republicans
sought to give him effective machin-
cry to do. Thus the War Council of
Mr.. Baker passed into innocuous
desuetude, while Stettinius an Goe-
thals, first rejected, were given re-
quisite power.
Alleged 'Lamentable" Waste.
Thus Denman was put forward,
withdrawn, then another, then another
and finally Schwab was given the un-
restricted chance to push the making
of ships. So with aviation, a lament
able waste and failure came first and
then Ryan with requisite headship and
authority is doing the job.
What was it that stimulated re-
form of lamentable methods and de-
lays in clothing, rifles, machine guns,
artillery and ammunition but investi-
cations in the Senate Military Com
mittee of Republicans and a few will
full but patriotic Democrats?
The patriotism and usefulness of
the Republicans as a minority in win
ming this war stand out so clearly as
compared with that of the leaders of
the Democratic majority that the Re-
publicans may we'll go to the people
on the issue which the President
raises.
Nor is there any more real weight
in the Presidents plea that an election
of a Republican congress will injure
the cause of the country in this war
abroad as vote of want of conf
dence in his prosecution of the war.
lnvokes Faith of Allies.
The intelligence which he says the
European peoples have, has enabled
them to see that an election of a Re-
publican congress will mean a more
certain prosecution of this war to an
unconditional surrender than if the
President shall secure House and
Senate who will only do his will and
second his desires.
The shiver which went through the
hearts Of the American people when
the implied proposals of the Presi-
dents first note for a negotiated
peace were so quickly accepted by
Germany was shared by all the brave
but suffering peoples of our allies.
For reasons apparent to all, the real
expressions Of feeling in respect to
PresidentW ilson's utterances in Eng
land and France are restrained. But
when the torrent of American public
opinion compelled a gradual return
toward demand for unconditional
surrender the joy of our allies was un-
restrained. They know that a verdict
at the election for a Republican
House will end forever the dangers
which seemed to face a negotiated
peace.
Instead of obstructing the President
and our allies in winning this war and
a dictated peace, nothing would SO
discourage the Germans and hearten
our allies as the return of Republi-
can congress.