South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-26
Forelgn Ratio Sl65 per month
JULY 20. 1920.
DUSTY FLESr YE CODSI ANTI-MUD
CAMPAIGN NOT MEANT FOR
THE G. O. p.

Quite expected the republican plea for a cam
paign free from mud" meant only a campaign
free from mud the part OF the democrats;
that is. free from mud thrown at the republic
ans II is thus. Every campaign brings that
plea from the republicans and then forthwith they
begin mud singing" though it were their ex-
elusive right; but always with their hand out, palm
foremost. and the exclamation. Don't tread on
me"
The nation wide comment through the republic
an press the exposure. or alleged exposure. by
"Astute" Munsey's "Sun and Herald" of New York.
OF certain editorials appearing in of Gov. Coxs
newspsr ers back in i915-1s that did not agree with
republican contentious Of that time branding them
pro-German for that reason. is in point. The COM
without setting forth the editorials
Cd upon. asking readers to assume that there is
ground for the comment, is what puts slush"
into the mud" All that the country in general
knows is that "Astute' Munsey is said to have ex-
posed something.
He didn't. however He has merely brought out
that back in 1915 and 1916. Gov. Coxs paper con
tended that the sinking OF the Lusitana did not,
under the circumstance Justify the United States
in going TO war with Germany. and he criticised
England's rihing OF mails and her capture of
merchant shipping, maintaining that the whole
sea fracas Of that time a Of dog eat dog"
It is too bad that newspaper in a nation supposed
to be neutral a that time. should have orinion
contrary those of the republican clap-rap manu-
facturers. who wanted war in order that they could
make it a campaign issue.
Had the United States gone to war over the Lusi-
tania 1915. the republican slogan in 1916 would
have been ''he into war" instead of the
democratic slogan being. "he kept us out of war"
Brighter men than 'Astute" Munsey. or any of the
"mud-slinging' editors re-echoing his asninity,
agreed with the president that the Lustania case
itself constitute sufficient ground for
rendering neutrality. and never throughout the
whole campaign was anyone able to elicit from the
republican nominee that would have advised
war AT that time. His egotsm ran rather 10 the
contention that had he been president the Lusi-
tania would not have been sunk,-and Theodore
Roosevelt was plump certain that he could have
snapped his finger and stopped it. had his 1912
billions materialzed. but again. Roosevelt would
not say that he would have gone over the
affair it
So there you have it, Wilson didn't Plunge the
country into war either and the country approved
his course wherefore the Cox editorials must have
been in line with major public opinion.
criticism of Mr. Cox because of those editorials
whether he wrote them whether he didn't is
too impudently silly for serious considerations or
rather would be but for this:
Raising the question Of the editorial policy
OF Gov Cox's paper. the Dayton. O.. News in
1915 and 1916 ought have "A tonic
some OF the weak sisters Of journalism that
cannot make up their minds about anything
and lack the courage essential TO a. independ-
ent newspaper. There Will be deal of delvng
into dusty files what said about this
and that matter and find out how much real
courage was registered in those days when
some Journals thought IL better 70 be eXpedient
than 20 be right
II from dear contemporary and yes.
II started US thinking Of other dusty files than
those OF the Cox daiies: indeed. causing US to
feet upon the conduct OF another newspaper not
before the war. but when # height
To hell with United States" said a virulent
pro-German refusing TO kick in" on the fourth
Liberty loan. and when the front OF his establish
rnent was painted yellow for his near treason we
know OF a newspaper. now very critical OF the Cox
papers who rushed TO the rescue OF this consigner
OF the United States to perdition and condemned
the PATRIOTS who resented It rowdies and thugs
DID the editor OF that paper feel toward the
United States the the 20 whose rescue
went? He may have been merely sore because
the morning paper got Il first. He used TO withhold
publicity from the Liberty for that
were a number OF things that happened
vious 10 the war but right in the midst of it that
this hypercritic of Mr.. Cox might do well not 70
suggest "deving into dusty files" for.
The Cox editorials pro-German. nor
even suggestive Of pro-Germanism. but had
they been. an American had much right be
prO-German to be prO-AlB in the days OF our