Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-29
ainted senatorial vote from Mich

igan.
THE Republican party became so
fixed in it's incorrigible habit of con-
Quoting Investigations that it finally
turned to the fruitful task of inves-
tigating itself. For the first time
since they entered upon this pro-
gram, they discovered fraud and
graft and gross and ineXcusable eX-
pendtiures. The revelations disclose
the fact, long understood by the in1-
tiated, that the meeting at Chicago
was not a convention but an auction.
The highest bidder, however, did not
get the prize. The publicity which
overlook the proceedings frustrated
than one. the recent Chicago con-
vention has left the Democratic party
as the sole custodian of the honor
of the country.
The Cost of the War
There are men so small in spirit.
so pitifully cramped in soul, that
they suggest that the war cost, too
much. The Republican platform
echoes this complaint. It was, in
deed, an expensive war. War is the
most wasteful thing in the world.
But is money to be measured against
Would it not be better to spend a
billion dollars for shells that were
| never exploded, than to have one
American boy on the firing line
minus an essential cartridge? Was
| it not better to prepare for a long
war and make it short, than to pre-
pare for a short war and make 1t
long? When criticism is made of the
expense of war, let us not forget that
we bought with it the. freedom and
world.
Preparedness
Again, they say that we were not
prepared for war. In a strict mill
tary sense, a democracy is never pre-
pared for war; but America made
effective than by maintaining, at
enormous cost, great ornaments,
which neither party ever advocated
and which our people would never
WARS are not fought by armies
alone. They are fought by nations.
1t is a measuring of the economic
strength of nations. The front line
trench is no stronger than the forces
which lie behind the trench. The
to every village, farm, counting
house, factory and home America
prepared by making the economic life
of the country sound.
What would have been our situa-
ton, if, prior to the outbreak OF the
war, we had not prepared so that our
farmers were able to feed the, armies
been our situation if labor had not
been willing to follow the leadership
of the president? What would have
been the situation if we had not es-
made it possible for US 20 finance
the war? What would have been
the situation if the Republican party
had been in control and had main
tanned it's old attitude toward legisla-
ton? There would have been an in
%oL IL 1yinD 6nwn of the eco
nomic structure of our country. We
would have been caught in the throes
of a panic more devastating than any
we had ever known. Industrial life
would have been disorganized and the
tasks of war. difficult as they were,
might then have become altogether
impossible.
Republican Record Since 1918
"The Republicans have now been
in control of the senate and the
house for more than a year. Th f
faith of alluring promises. They
said that they would earnestly sup
port the president, at least, until
the tasks Of war were finished. It
was their contention that they would
ton with superior intelligence and
even with greater patriotism than
would be possible under Democratic
leadership. They gave publicity,
when they entered upon the recent
session, to detailed and ambitious
them also be judged by the record.
What have the Republicans accom-
plished since their political success
in 1918? What beneficial results
have flowed to the American people
What promises have been redeeme 20 -?
What progress has been made in the
settlement of foreign or domestic
questions?
'"Twice the president went before
congress, since the termination OF
hostilities, calling attention to need
ed legislation. He urged the pas
measures to simplify and reduce tax
alton; appropriate action relative to
the returning soldiers; the passage
of resolution concerning the con-
structive plans worked out IN detail
by former Secretary Lane, and the
measures advocated by the secretary
of agriculture. He suggested that
the congress take counsel together
and provide legislation with reference
to industrial unrest, and the mutual
more than a year of sterile debate,
our country has neither peace nor
reconstruction. Barren of achieve
ment, shameless in waste of time and
money, the record of the present
congress is without parallel for it's
incompetencies, failures and repudia-
lions. Are the American people SO
unjust, or so lacking in discrimina-
ton that they will reject the service
of a party which has kept its word.
and place trust in party which
merely renews the broken promises of
a. previous campaign?
Attacks Upon the President
ere publican leaders have been
moved by a strange and inexplicable
jealousy of the president. Their
gross abuse and through secret in
trigue. has been productive of one
of the most unhappy chapters in
American history, recalling the sim
liar experiences of Lincoln and Wash
ington. Political malice followed the
atorial 'round robin" was widely cir
| culated. Every device which parti-
sanship could develop was employed
for the purpose of weakening the in
| tluence of our commission at Paris,
| and making the task there still more
| stinct of fairness pleaded for a
whole-hearted support of the pres
| ident, political antagonism and per-
sonal envy controlled the anti-admin-
| istration forces.
"The president made every sacri-
| flee for the cause of peace. The
| long-continued strain while compos-
ing differences abroad; the expendi-
ture OF nervous vitality and intel
| lectual force in building new order
ruins of the old, laid heavy toll upon
| his reserve powers. Then came the
| return in triumph, only to find here
| widespread propaganda of opposi-
| ton, making it imperative that he
take up in his own country a strug-
gle for the preservation of that which
had been won at such incalculable
cost. Following the superhuman
labors of. seven years of unexampled
service, this meant the wreck of his
| health, sickness for months upon a
| bed of pain, and worse than the
| physical sickness, the sickness OF
| heart which comes from the knowl-
! edge that political adversaries, lost
to the larger sense of things, are
! savagely destroying not merely the
work of mems hands, but the world
hope of settled peace. This was the
af1iction-this the cructdxion.