Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-04
Woodrow Wilson
AS | KNOW HIM
BY JOSEPH p. TUMULTY.


people Of the United States are
standing solidIy behind the presi-
dent, the task of the peace commits
Bioners will be easy but il there is
a break in the ranks--if the Demo.
Gratis score a telling victory, If Dem
ocratic senators, congressman and
governors are elected-Spain will see
in it a CLEAN of hope, she will take
fresh hope, and d renewal of hostili-
ties, more war, may be necessary to
secure us what we have already
Won"
When Colonel Roosevelt himself
became president, he followed the
usual precedent, without even the
excuse of war emergency. In d
letter to James e. Watson, he wrote:
"If there were onoly partisan is
sues involved in this contest, I
should hesitate to say anything pub
licly in reference thereto. But I do
not feel that such is the case. On
the contrary, feel that all good
citizens who have the welfare of
America at heart should appreciate
the immense amount that had been
accomplished by the present con-
gress, organized as it Is, and the
urgent need of keeping this organi-
zation in power. To change the
leadership and organization Of the
house at this time neaps to bring
confusion I'd those who have been
successfully engaged in the steady
working out of great an compre-
hensive scheme for the betferment
OF our social, Industrial and civic
conditions. Such a change would
substitute a purposeless confusion,
ia violent and hurtfu1 oscillation be.
tween the positions of the extreme
radical and the extreme reactionary
for the present orderly progress
along the lines of carefully
thought-out policy"
Text of Appeal
1t is not clear in the light of the
events that followed the reputation
of the president and his administers
ton in 1918 that he was justified by
reason of the unusual circumstances
of a great world war, in asking for
a team" that would work in CO.
operation with him? Some of those
who most Indignantly criticized him
for his partisan appeal attacked him
and the measures which he recon-
mended for the peace of the world
with a craftsmanship without parallel
in the history of party politics. Some
who most bitterly condemned what
he did, gave the most emphatic proof
that what he did was necessary. Nor
can they honestly defend themselves
by saying that their partisan attacks
on the treaty were justifiable re-
prisal.} Before he ever made his ap-
peal they were doing all in their
power to undermine his Influence
at home and abroad, and he knew it.
The appeal was no reflection on Re-
publicans as such, nor any miiimiza-
ton of the heroic service rendered
in the war by Republicans and DEM
ocrats alike in the fighting and ci-
william services, but the president
knew that Republicans organized in
party opposition in congress would
not assist but obstruct the processes
Of peace-making under his leader
ship. And all the world now knows
that his judgment was correct.
1t will be interesting to read pho
tostatic copy Of the presidents APP
peal to the country, written by him
on the typewriter:
My Fellow-C ountrymen: The
congressional elections are at
hand. They occur in the most
y critical period our country has
ever faced or is likely to face in
our time. If you have approved
of my leadership and wish me
to continue to be your unembar-
raised spokesman in affairs at =
home and abroad, earnestly beg
that you will express yourself
Enthusiastically to that effect by
returning Democratic majori-
ty to both the senate and the
house Of representatives. l am
your servant and will accept
your Judgment without cavil,
but my power to administer the
great trust assigned me by the
constitution would be seriously
impaired should your judgment i
be adverse, and I must frankly J
tell you so because so many CRIT
ical issues depend upon your, ver-
= dict. No scruple of taste must
in grim times like these be al
lowed to stand in the way OF
speaking the plain truth.
I have no thought of suggest
ing that any political party is
paramount in matters of pa
\ triotism. / feel too keenly the
sacrifices which have been made
in this war by all our citizens,
irrespective Of party affiliations,
to harbor such an idea. I mean
onlyfthat the difficulties and del
icaeies of our present task are
of a sort that makes it impera-
lively necessary that the nation
should give its undivided sup
port to the government under a
unified leadership, and that
Republican congress would dl-
vide the leadership.
The leaders of the minority in
the present congress have I'M
questionably been pro-war, but
they have been anti-administra-
ton. At almost every turn, since
we entered the war, they have
sought to take the choice of
policy and the conduct Of the