Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-13
TUESDAY. JANUARY 13, 1890.
Apti-War Policy Always Loses


1t 10 apparent that the leading policy
ut the Republican party IN this year 8
national campaign viii be 10 severely
sriticise and condemn the WAT record OF
The Wilson administration. Unable to
disprove or deny the brilliant record OF
sccompiinhment the Republican partisans
will cndeavor to discount and discredit IT
by every possible means. Already smell
ing committees" of she Republican Con-
xrrss are conducting Investigations into
che conduct OF the war, IN the hope OF I'M
sArthIng as many instances as possible oi
extravagance or inefIcIency and collecting
a number sufficient TO make a sort OF re-
srectabIe showing IS a campaign docu-
nuent but thus far no success has attended
this nartisan move. The people are fully
aware of the tremendous task that con-
frpnted the administration when II found
itself compelled to join our Allies 70 Eu-
rome in the righteous war against Ger
n1sny's powerful aggression They know
that in the haste 1f war preparations.
conducted on the most stupcndous scale
the world ever saw, and the pressing need
of speedy action in order to make our m
tervention overwhelmingly effective, mis-
takes were sure to be made, and extrava-
gsnces that would not have been thought
Of in times Of peace allowed to creep IN.
But the utmost partisan diggings by
the smelling committees, thus tar
have failed TO reveal any errors oi omis-
sion or commission Of q serious character
Especially have they failed 70 bring forth
evidences of graft and actual dishonesty,
In this respect the record stands out IS
most amazing, especially by contrast
with the record Of government operations
throughout every war previously entered
upon by our country, not excepting even
the War for American Independence.
While by comparison with the astounding
record Of graft, corruption sneticlency,
rotten commissary and fever camps that
were 50 conspicuously il evidence during
our brief war with Spain, under Re
pnblican national administration, the
vsr ACCOMPLISHMENT Of the Wilson ad-
rinlstration are without q flaw. They
were wonderful in their extent and com
pIeteness, the marvel Of all the rest Of
the world.
But even If this record we're not s.
splendid and convincing, even II It had
been marked by Shortcomings and IT
-er1Ilarities-eve some measure Of graft
there would be no assurance Of good
results attending Republican partisan
policy Of crit cism and fauif-indine u has
years campaign The facts Of past his
tory sre always N PLAIN view, and one
thing they surely prove IS that no political
psrtv can make q successful campaign on
q platform crIticislng a1d condemnng the
policy and procedure Of q natIonal ad-
ministr4tion In the conduct Of war
This was shown PLAINLY II the early
years Of our government. Throughout the .
War Of IsI2-I5 with Great Brira r, the
War Department Of President Mads4ns .
administration was woetGllv inefficient
There was q lack Of efficient PREPARATION
and effective cooperation. British armies 1
general Y were sucressfui even capturing
the National Cap:tal and burning the
White House and other public buildings
And while the navy covered itself with
glory, only jackson overwhelming we
tory over the British 1t New Orleans
saved our military operations from abso-
lutte disgrace The opponents ol the /.
Democratic party out forth their utmost /
efforts to profit politically by this discTadlt-
abe record Of our military operations, but +
In VAN. At the Presidential election held
In 1916 the year after the close of the /
war, James Monroe, Democrat, WIS
elected President.
Bitter was the opposition Of the Wing /
party to the country entering INTO war
with Mexico-ln I845-8 and the war
question was leading issue ID the Pre1i-
dental campaign Of the latter yC..-. But /
the Wing party nominated military
hero Of that war-Generai Zachary
TayIor-tor Pres.deu', and although he
was elected, his success was due enuniy
TO factional division of the Democratic !
party. with rival candidates for the Pres-
dency-General Lewis Case ard Martln
Van Buren,
The Democratic party assaiied the Re- I
publican administration during and after t
the Civil War on questions of policy aris- 4
ing from that memorable conflict. But /
II made no headway with the people by I
that unpopular policy. +
Even with the handicap of'a wocful /
record Of extravaganza, corruption and /
ineficiency TO contend with, the Repubh-
can party carried the country following |
our brief war with Spain, ii 1898. Demo
cratic opposition to the war record, and /
TO the grave international questions and /