Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-10-23

The Task Assigned to Americs
In the Auditorium at Chicago
on January 81, 1916, he describe.
as follows the task assigned to tht
United States by passing events
Look at the task that is assign.
ed to the United States, re assert
the principles Of iaT in a world
in which Pie prin :'ple.' Ct law
have broken Iowa not The tech
nical principles of law, but the
essential principle of right dealing
and humanity as between nation
and nation.
I'VE may have to assert these
principles of right and of human
ity at any time. What means are
available? What force is at the
disposal of the United States to
assert these things? The force
of opinion? Opinion, 1 am sorry
to say, my fellow citizens, did not
bring this war on, and | am afraid
that opinion cannot stay it's pro
gress.
This war was brought on by
rulers, not by the people. !. No
man for many year Vet can
trace the real sources of this war;
but this thing we know-that
opinion did not bring it on, and
that the force Of poinion, at any
rate, the force of American opin-
ion, is not going to stop it,
An Answer to the Republican
AT Des Moines. on February l,
1916, he uttered the following sen
tences, which apply without the
change of word to the present
utterances of the Republican lead
ers who are trying to prevent the
American people from discharging
their plain duty toward their re-
cent comrades-in arms, + Great
Britain, France, Italy, and Japan.
yet, my fellow citizens, there
are some men among us preaching
peace who go much further thu
can go, further, 1 believe,
than you can follow them, in
preaching the doctrine of peace |
at any price and in any circum-
stances. There Is a price which |
is too great to pay for peace, and |
that price can be put in one word.
One cannot pay the price of self
respect. One cannot pay the price
of duties abdicated of glorius op-
portunities neglected, of character
national character, left without
and exemplification in
action"
The above citations from ad-
dresses made by President Wilson
m the week January 27 to Feb
'uary 3, 1916, will enable the care
,ul voter to estimate the correct
less or fairness of the following
sentence near the beginning of
he Republican platform or 1920:
failure to make time
y preparation is the chief indict-
nent aaginst the Democratic Ad-
in the conduct of thei
var"
The last sentence or a short ad-
Iress which President Wilson
made at a meeting of the Business
1ens League of St. Louis on Feb
uary 3, 1916, being in his weeks
our, is as follows.
Il have come out to appeal TO
america, not because / doubted
ihat America felt, but because I \
hought America wanted the salts !
action of uttering what she felt,
nd of letting the whole world
nowk that she fas a unit in res !
ect of every suestion of national =
ignity and national safety"
This sentence shows that Presi-
ent Wilson was sure that the
people held his own firm ]
elief in their responsiveness on !
ny question of national dignity tx
esponsibility, and oislnterested
ervice. He held this faith then,
nd has held it ever since. ~ ll
This faith was his reason for !
ssuring his fellow negotiators at I
aris that the United States would !
ltify the Treaty and covenant in =
S final form. 1t was his reason ]
" appealing at once. with entire y
)nfidence, to the masses of the Z
eople on the journey which was !
Iterrupted by his physical break \
own. 1t is his reason for desir- Z
g the present appeal to the mass !
the voters. 81
The Republican speakers and =
riters describe President Will :
ms adherence to this conviction =
! obstinacy, a juster name for I
would be fidelity. !
(To Be ContinuedD. ~