The Washington herald., 1920-02-12
What Would Lincoln Do?


Lincons Birthday this the midst
partisan conflict the details of finding
for the problems growing out of great and victorious
..ss. g..
Our situation of Federal after
Appomaox respects earlier problem the more
perpexng that had then but one
opponent consider allies consult But upon
solution that might be adopted rested the continuing vitality
development short the whole future of the Union
The assassination of Lincoln prevented the application to hat
problem loving intelligence and vision which
papers had brought bear it The history
period shows how disastrous the PROSTATE
South, for that the nation whole were the
OF reconstruction forced by partisan politicians And the
Judgment that had the
Emancpator lived that black chapter national an
mails would meyer have been written
is proper natural today when our Senate
wrangng the conditions OF peace the question
should arise in the minds of many WHAT WOULD LIN
COLIN DO?"
moment of his death he preparing to fight Con-
cress on an issue not wholly today
Senate people his fixed and inflexible
the Union such that the
speedily obterated, and this end
sought sweep aside petty factiona differences, consu
splitting and delays due enaciy of individual opinon
Today people contemplate President insisten
rpon of these portions of the which
factions upon making dominant
As result delay signing of the
Versailles treaty. volumes of futile oaory have been let loose
in the have ahead without in
and foreign trade has collapsed the face OF virtual
isolation
Today the contest is people action
and the government accomplishing nothing but delay
of Lincon death the contest had begun be-
the restoration of and
between the sections and Congress which preparing
to wrangle intermnsbly details nonessenials.
The immediate which had
tempted secession should be regarded having been out OF
Union whether they should be looked
seeking subject conditions which
Congress might impose this the oodgaes of Con-
gressonal oratory were already opening
the April s6sthree days before his assass
of people serenaded the President the
which the following be TAKEN having perth
situation today:
agree States so-caed their
practical relation the Union and that the sole object of the
civil and military again them that
practical believe that only possible,
do this without deciding considering
have been of the Union than with Finding
themselves safely home it would be utterly mmae whether
they have been abroad Let all join in doing the acts
restoring the practical relations between these
Union, nnocenty indulge
his opinion whether in doing the acts he brought the States
from without into the Union only them proper
they never having been out of it"
Or in brief Let aside pride of opinion and aconal
snacy bind national wounds and back the affairs
peace.
Can anyone read that calm and commonsense appeal of Lin
coins and doubt what his attitude would be today
10 get the United States back into their proper practical relation
the OF the world?
viewing federation the sensational
wrange differences of opinion which, clearly
tcrd Herald less discernbe than tweededum
and tweedledce?j
imagined sitting White House and declaring
specific policy accepted or the
of cementing peace be ntermnably prolonged?
Nothing could be unlike the Lincoln? His
the genius of clearly
manifested than when he qubb tchncats and
nonessentals to accomplish desired end -
In 1865 that end of the Union
tits the restoration of the United place in the family
OF that th work OF rebuilding after the chaos
may be pressed
May not today invoke the spirit Abraham Lincoln to
hasten the accomplishment of that
Reading the late princes magnanmous offer to SIR
he S
for he