Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-28
The Presidents Appeal.

II is natural that Democratic politicians
should differ materially as to the pro
prietv and probable effect Of President
Wilson's deliberate personal appeal to
the people TO sustain him and in
dorse his work by the election of a Con-
gress Democratic in both branches, on
Tuesday next. Some look upon it as
move as wise and shrewd as any that
the President has made in the past. Others
incline to regard it as a political mistake,
although they do not fear any disturbing
consequences
Certain it is, however that the Pres
idents plain and open appeal TO the
people stung the partisan Republicans,
especially those in the Senate and House
of Representatives. Immediately, under
the quick squirting OF Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts, who has ever been ready
to seize upon any partisan Republican
advantage that was even remotely in
evidence, Republican Senators and Rep
reSentatives prepared a reply, which was
laid before the people without delay.
There is no use, therefore, in raising
the question OF propriety. The Presidents
appeal is public property. So is the re-
joinder OF the Republican Senators and
Representatives. The people have en-
loved the opportunity of reading both,
and may judge inteihgently between them.
There is no doubt President Wilson
advanced a solid and convincing argu-
ment IN favor of the election of a Dem
ocratac Congress when he SAID: The
return of Republican majority to either
house of the Congress would, moreover,
be interpreted on the other side of the
water as repudiatlon of my leadership.
- The peoples Of the Allied coun-
usas-Uith whom we are associated against
Germany are quite familiar with the
significance of elections. They would
find IT very difficult to believe that the
voters of the United States had voted to
sustain their President by electlng to the
Congress a majority controlled by those
who are not, IN fact, IN sympathy with
the attitude and action of the admins
tFataon."
This is but plain truth, clearly ex-
pressed, and the President might have gone
much farther IN this hne OF argument.
One can imagine with what deep Joy
popular verdict adverse to the admins
txataon, at our election next week, would
be hailed in Potsdam and Berlin, in
Vienna and Constantinople. 1t would
revive the saddened feelings of Germany
and inspire hope where despair Is now
e1pping tensely. 1t would encourage
tettering Austria to cling desperately to
her forlorn cause a little longer, and
might even move the 'unspeakabIe
Turk" to withhold the offer of surrender
he is said to be about to make.
There is no evadiDg, no cloudlng even,
of this grave issue of the campaign. Ger
man leaders and friends of Germany IN
this country-of whom there are too
maDy-would rejoice over the discontinue
of the administration as a result Of
popular election. And it may be set
down as fact that every citizen of this |
country clothed with the privilege Of |
franchise who sympathizes with Germany
will 60 to the polls next Tuesday and
vote, sohdly and unitedly, for the cleo
lion of Republican Congress.
Will the people Of our country stand
or this? We cannot believe it, Let
Delaware do her part to avert such an
wi by re-electing Senator Sa ulsbury
md Representative Polk