The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-03-21
THE WISCONSIN RESULT

vote polled for James Thompson II
the Wisconsin primaries is not strict
ly an anti-war vote or a pro-Lafollette
vote. To the outsider this seemed to
be the sole issue in the Republican
primaries. but closer observers who
visited the state before election came
to a different conclusion. A writer in
the Nation" of Marsh pointed out
the influence of economic issues or
rather economic interests in the cam
paign.
While the Lenroot statement of
purposes was clearcut and purely pa
triotic. containing nothing offensive
to Democrats, and earning the implied
eensure of that organ of reaction, The
American Economist. nevertheless it
was unfortunate that the fight on
Thompson and on the LaFollette
forces was led by the officious econo-
mic interests and discarded and dis
credited politicians of the state who
had opposed all reform in Wisconsin
in the past. According to the writer
referred to, these monopolies and re-
pudiated leaders shouldered them
selves into the management of the
Lenroot campaign and were the most
conspicuous workers, and therefore
the most shining targets for the
Thompson forces. Thompson refrain
ed from positive endorsement of La
Toilette. giving enough negative APP
prevail to the pacifist senator to get
the support of his followers, and max
ing the character of Lenroot's sup
porters the principal issue.
Anything giving aid and comfort to
the enemy at this time is unfortunate,
and the Wisconsin result is particular
ly So when the evidence is that the
German people at home are in a state
of doubt as to the wisdom of their
leaders, and state of mind which
would yield after sound threshing
in the field, should they be convinced
that the people in the allied nations
were united in pushing the war to a
successful conclusion at any cost. Ger
many will not yield until her armies
are thoroughly whipped, but when
they are once completely trounced,
the German masses will take courage
TO overthrow junkerism. This is not
only the opinion of most writer's in
Europe today, but it is borne out by
the results of elections in Germany.
To these The Nation" calls special at
tention in the following editorial:
The defeat of the Centrist candidate
in COblenz by an advocate of speedy,
negotiated peace adds another straw
to the many we have already had
showing which way the political wind
in Germany is blowing, despite offic-
ial declarations. The recent reich
stag elections, which brought great
increase of the Independent, radical
Socialist vote. proved that dissatisfac-
ton was rife with Hertling's policy Of
refusing to use the reichstag moan
nexations resolution as a basis for
peace. Now comes this new evidence
from the heart of Rhenish Prussia,
from a great military center, in fact.
The Centrist candidate was a man, ap-
parently of some distinction, obvious
ly selected for the respect he could
command in the community. In his
day he had been a reichstag delegate,
an educator, and a publicist a man,
on the whole, it would appear, of
rather liberal trend. So that his de-
feat would seem to have been on the
plain peace issue.
Every time something happens that
can be construed by the military par
ty in Germany into a sign of yielding
in an allied country, it gives them a
chance to say: "Wait. we will win this
war" So, while the effect in this
country will not be serious, the vote
for Thompson in Wisconsin is liable
TO hearten the Germans abroad, and
thus encourage them to keep up the
fight longer than would otherwise be
the case. The way to offset this vote
in the greatest pro-German state in
the Union, is for people everywhere
to show increased activity, and con-
vince the world that we are in the
fight until final victory is assured for
the principles for which we enterei
the war
One lesson to be learned from the
Wisconsin primary is that the voters
will not support anyone even of nat
urally progressive tendencies, such a:
Lenroot was credited with, If he /:
suspected as being the candidate o.
monopoly The American Economist
in its last issue. blamed the Demo
cratic party with responsibility for the
growth OF socialism because 1t criti-
eized our previous economic manage
ment in certain particulars. 1t added