New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-25
DIR. Parkhurst
Backs Wood
For President
Not a Militarist, but an
1dealist, He Says, in Urg-
ing the Selection of
the General at Chicago
Is a Versatile G. enius
Roosevelt Quoted to Give
Emphasis to Unqualified
Backing for Army Leader

DECKING Tor ARMY Leader
The Rev. Dr.. Charles H. Parkhurst,
former pastor OF the Madison Square
Presbyterian Church, in an indorse.
ment of General Wood for the Re-
publican nomination for President
says that at no time since the first
election Of Mr.. Lincoln have the odds
been SO appalling against which any
President has had to contend as those
which will have to be faced by Mr..
Wilson's successor.
He says that although a soldier,
General Wood is not a militarist.
"The general says DR.. Parkhurst. ais
as much Of an idealist as it is possible
for him to be and still be practical"
Parkhurst's Backing
DR.. Parkhurst's Endorsement fol-
lows:
THE one particular matter for a
voting citizen to think about this
year-~be he Republican or Democrat,
from the North, South, East and West
is, who is the man who, If elected to
the Presidency, stands the best chance
of being able to lift our country out
of the abyss of distraction in which
it finds itself as it nears the close Of
tho present administration?
AT no time since the first election
of Mr.. Lincoln have the odds been so
appalling against which any President
has had to contend as are those which
will have to be faced by Mr.. Wilson's
successor.
Had Mr.. Roosevelt survived he
would doubtless have been the peoples
choice. Could he now dictate the COM
ing incumbent he would certainly
designate as such the man most close
ly the duplicate Of himself in ex-
perience, loyalty to duty, inflexible
steadfastness and breadth of purpose,
and adaptedness to complex condi-
tions. And that man would assured
~ have been General Wood Mr..
Roosevelt's own Characterization of
that characterization is distinctly on
record.
Although a soldier, General Wood
is not militarist. That is proved by
the versatility of his genius and by
the facility with which in the Philip
pines and notably in Cuba he has
transferred his attention from soldier
ly service to civic activities of an
executive administrative character.
Mr.. Roosevelt said Of him in this re-
spect: He has at all times COM
bined with singular success the func-
ton of civil administrator and mill
tary commandant.'
"Certainly we can accommodate our
selves to certain amount Of the mill
tant at time when lawlessness is run
ming riot, when everything seems fall
ing to pieces and solidity to have crum-
bled into state of disintegration
Men Without Obstinacy
while we do not want to be- ruled
by any President, soldier or otherwise,
we require, as the supreme expression
of democratic authority, man who,
without obstinacy (the name we give
to the perversity of small minds, is to
such degree established in his own
convictions that we can concentrate in
him our respects and our condolences
From my study Of General Wood as he
stands revealed in his activities and
utterances, believe that he meets the
above requirements.
He has shown in dramatic way
that under severe provocation he can
quietly hold himself under contror,
which we have Scriptural authority for
claiming is the mark Of robust and
perfected character
THAT he was ready, if necessary, to
forego his leave of absence in order
to meet his military obligations indi-
Gates that were he to become President
he would not abandon the post to which
the people elected him in order to fill
some other position to which he elected
himself.
"The general is as much of an ideal
ist as it is possible for him to be and
still be practical. He looks into the
heavens, put has never been known to
take his feet off the ground.
II have reserved to the last what
seems to be his dominating qualifica-
ton for the Presidency, viz. his
power OF forecast, quality which al
ways distinguishes the statesman from
the politician. go
This he has evidenced on three sew
eral occasions, perhaps on others. First.
when he declined to receive from the
Kaiser the Order Of the Black Eagle.
which is to be interpreted as signify
ing that ne realized the indelicacy Of
accepting honor from a party whom it
mighs eventually be his military obi
CATION to help destroy. Second, when
he took the initial steps toward ere.
atlng PUBLIC opinion in behalf Of CON
scriptlon. Third, when, in the face of
an obstinate and visionless Administers
ton, he projected the Plattsbure idea.
such is the peculiar genius that
duailfies man to stand as shepherd of
the people,. to 60 before them along a
way that they do not know. but which
ne prospectively visualizes, and visual
izes with such distinctness as to be un
dlsmayed by antagonism and to be
aole TO refute opposition by the final
PROOF OF the. soundness and far
sighteedness of his provision. The man
VINO leads us must know in advance
the route we arc to travel. believe
mat the mere nomination of General
wood will put goodly measure of
courage Into the hearts of many who
almost despair of our national future
IL believe that with government adj
minlste red With y? the energy he would
the. principles of honesty. economn
and justice by which he is himself |
personally controlled, we should as a |
people become animated with new