The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-07-09

the heroism of American men and
women; and we are proud OF the in
spired and incompatible leadership
of Woodrow Wilson.
Has not the time come when al
Americans, irrespective Of party,
should begin to praise the achieve
ments of our country rather than to
criticize them? Surely q just and
righteous sense Of national pride
should protect us from the insensate
assaults of mere partisans.
We fought a great war, for great
cause, and we had a leadership that
carried America to greater heights Of
honor and power and glory than she
has ever known before in her entire
history. If the American flag must
he lowered, it will be hauled down in
a republican convention, and not IN
& democratic convention.
Such frank clarifying in Americas
war service has been unfamiliar of
late The 'irreconcilables" and ne
''intellectuals'' have made the ~r
something almost to be ashamed Of
They were aided, of course, by the
natural reaction after the war strain
But may not the pendulum be about
to swing back? Is there not grave
scolding of Johnson, and the fault-find-
ing of Lodge, may turn again to the
refreshing and heartening idealism of
the great war?
Similarly, is there not a perilous
chance that Mr.. Cummings strikes an
equally responsive though now sub
dominant chord when he paints the
personal tragedy of Woodrow Wilson.
These words have real pull in them:
AS he lay stricken in the White
House, the relentless hand of malice
beat upon the door of the sick cham
ber The enemies of the president
upon the floor of the senate repeated
every SANDER that envy could in
vent, and they could scarcely control
the open manifestation of their glee
when the great man was stricken at
IL st. The congress was in session for
months while the president lay in the
White House, struggling with a terri
fving illness and, at times, close to
the point of death. He had been ply
sieally wounded, just as surely as
Garfield and Mckinley and Lincoln.
for it is but a difference of degree
between fanatics and partisans. The
cOngru-s during all this period, when
the whole heart of America ought to
have been flowing out in love and
sympathy, did not find time, amid
their chickering's, to pass one resolu-
ton of generous import or extend one
kindly inquiry as to the fate of the
president of their own country.
Even William Lorimer won a fol-
lowing on the belief that he was per-
secuted. Republicans must consider
well the danger of quick reaction
OF sympathy for the president. On
such a reaction the label of Grown
prince" would help instead of hurt
candidate
Here is the final summing of Mr..
Cummings idea of democratic policy
in this campaign:
Let the true purpose of our party
be clearly understood. We stand
Squarely for the same ideals of peace
as those for which the war was
fought. We support without fiinching
the only feasible plan for peace and
justice We will not submit to the
reputation of the peace treaty or to
any process by which it is whitfield
down to the vanishing point. We de-
cline to compromise our principles or
pawn our immortal souls for selfish
purposes. We do not turn our backs
upOn the history of the last three
wears. We seek no avenue of retreat
We insist that the forward course is
the only righteous course. We seek
to re-establish the fruits of victory,
To reinstate the good faith of our
country. and to restore it to its right
full place among the nations of the
earth.
To thousands of Americans this
speech will make a convincing and
refreshing appeal 1t paints the
America that they know. Republi-
cans will do well to recognize this.
Yet it is clear that an excellent
and even noble keynote" is neither
platform, candidate nor party.
The democrats, according to Mr..
Cummings. intend to go before the
oeonle to resell the war and the
| league. supported by the sympathet
ic appeal that lies in the tragedy Of
Woodrow Wilson. 1t is a strong pro-
gram, in our Judgment. but a mighty