The Washington herald., 1918-08-07
AFIELD WITH
THE
OBSERVER

Providence. r. l., Aug. 6.-There are
political platforms-and political plat
forms.
This year some Of them will exude
patriotism and forget all about politics
"a mighty few of them will do this
while others will have to do princi-
pally or exclusively with politics.
A journalist here has Just shown us
a model of its kind-one he thinks
should be copied all over the nation
this year by all parties. Even IL the
Republicans took the trouble to in
corporate It in their platform he
thinks it would do that party no
harm, and in the end might do a great
deal toward its resuscitation.
This platform comes from Nebraska.
II was adopted only a few days ago
at the Democratic party's State con-
vention. While Senator Hitchcock's S
friends were in complete control Of
the convention they did not enter into
even a mild discussion of the politics
of their State either the Inter" kind
or the "Intra" kind. They preferred
to rest on the issue of winning the
ent to that-forgot all about extoiliug
or Furnishing Bryan. or commencing
their Senator's course lengthily. or
mentioning any individual by name.
They forgot all about State issues
and how puny State issues show up
beside the big one, anyway-they
simply went straight to the heart OF
things and very emphatically set out
that they know only one issue and
recognize only one leader.
The Republicans had an even two
dozen things both great and small
in their platform-and they forgot,
too. to say anything about their
statesmen. (But it was for a differ
ent reason they did this. They
found on investigation that not a
member of their delegation in Con-
gress had voted for the war reso-
lution.) And when the intelligent
voter sums up the two platforms
and when he takes into considera-
ton what the boom and rattle of
the big guns mean on tother side of
the war he may be expected to find
more to attract him in the Demo-
cratic platform. 1t speaks big
things. 1t demands them. 1t
breathes patriotism and American
ism through and through. 1t ap-
peals to everything Americans have
in them these days-and the Re-
publican platform deals successful
ly with ephemeral things. II that
was the end aimed at by its makers.
While the Democratic platform
deals gloriously with the one great
big. overwhelming thing we have in
mind now and which must be in
iyI a. t.
of the way by the raising of the
white flag at Berlin.
The platform OF which we speak
is not full of meaningless platitudes.
It Is the solemn utterance OF men
who have near and dear ones in the
front ranks of the fighting over
there"-the utterance of men who
value their homes and love Amer
lea, who feel with all their being
that the beast Of Berlin" must be
crushed and that no paltry issues
shall make impotent the deeds of
our President and our Congress at
this time.
The part of the platform which Is its
essence and which practically COM
prises it. reads as follows-the part
our brother writer called to our atten-
ton as a model for other States and
parties to copy after:
I'VE, the Democrats of Nebraska,
assembled in convention in the midst
OF the supreme crisis Of the worlds
civilization. know but one duty. recog-
nize but one issue, accept but one
leader. The duty is to offer our blood
and treasure. without stint or limit. to
crush the beast of German autocracy
The issue is whether that autocracy,
booted and spurred, shall ride the
world. to the destruction OF all human
liberty. happiness and progress, or
whether the world shall be made a fit
and safe place In which free men may
live. build their homes and rear their
families. The leader is Woodrow
Wilson. the President Of the United
States and Commander-in-Chief of our
armies and navy. Into his keeping all
that we prize and all that We hope
for has been intrusted. In his hands
we have placed our heroic sons, dearer
to US than life itself. They are his in
struments. Their barred bosoms are
the shields Of our homes and our
womankind.
Through blood and agony and tears
the world Is moving toward its goal.
We are solemnly impressed with the
truth that II we unselfishly and to the
uttermost sustain our leader, who Is
at the same time the leader of the
worlds forces of morality and prog
ress, of honor and law, that good will
L.