The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1918-10-26


the Review can safely be
classed as wrong from patriotic
standpoint, wrong from the common
peoples standpoint, wrong from a
genuine popular-rule standpoint, and
if that newspaper ardently supports
some particular man for office, it is
thing wrong in it somewhere-either
in the man, or the reason for support,
or in the pledges made by the man
to gain that support. No good to the
public can possibly come from it. A
newspaper which has consistently at
tackled the commander in chief of the
army and navy during the greatest
war in history, and thrown doubts
among the people as to the wisdom
of the conduct of the war, can only be
classed with the seditious press. And
it's opposition to man recognized as
an aid to the administration can only
throw doubt upon the character of the
man whom it would substitute for
Dill.
Dill Voted as Pledged
Some people felt that Dill erred in
voting against declaration of war.
The writer was among those who be-
lieved the time had come to enforce
our rights by war. Others believed
that by careful action we might es-
cape being embroiled with European
affairs. Still others believed we
should not enter the war until we
were better prepared.
Thousands and thousands of letters
poured in to the president pleading
against going to war. There was an
honest difference regarding the mat
ter of advisability, and Of procedure
1t really is an immaterial matter
at this time how people thought at
that time, just as it is immaterial how
Dill voted on that particular question.
His actions since then, like ours, have
all been for the winning of the war
which congress declared. General
John A. Logan was opposed
to the civil war, but no faint
of unpatriotism has chung to
his name. David Lloyd George, the
great man of England, opposed the
Boer war before and after and at all
times since-yet he is not called un-
patriotic. Claude Kitchen, leader of
the house of representatives, was op-
posed to the declaration of war, yet
there is nothing wrone-> about him.
President Wilson opposed for long
time declaration Of war, and was re-
elected on that basis, yet he stands
the greatest man in America today.
Fifty members of congress voted
against declaring war, yet those who
have since worked to win the war are
not classed as unpatriotic. Senator
Jones voted against giving our mer-
chantmen the privilege of arming
their ships before war was declared,
yet no general charge of unpatriotism
is being made against him. Senator
Jones voted against forming a fed
eral ship corporation to build the ships
which President Wilson said were
needed by this country, yet nothing is
now said about him and his question
able action at that time. It's what
a man has done since war was de-
clared that counts.
Mr.. Dill made the promise in every
speech made in this county two years
ago that if elected to congress he
would oppose war unless in case of
invasion. He kept that promise.
When war was actually declared, only
a part of this country believed it alb
solutely necessary, and it took months
of hard work to bring the populace
to general understanding of the real
conditions and the necessity of enter
ing the war. AS the facts were dis
closed, the peoples ideas changed, and
it would not be fair to call those
mothers unpatriotic who voted for
Dill in order to keep out of war, nor
to call those fathers unpatriotic who
did not want to see their sons dragged
into the frightful holocaust across the
waters. They all voted for Dill, and
they were good American citizens.
But when conditions were found to be
serious, and it was seen that for the
peace of the world this nation must
act, these mothers and fathers did as
they can always be expected to do
gave their sons to the cause. They
are not to be called unpatriotic for
! their various ideas. Their actions
disprove the lie.
Scott strafe Dill" is the cry of the
financial Hun who believes private in
terests are better served that public
veal. This is the unpatriotism of
C. C. Dill-that he was not elected by
the interests and he is entirely out
side Of the control of the interests.
Unpatriotic to big business, to water