Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-19

hand of MI Wilson anG the depart
ment of state with reference to the
transmission of protests not too VIC
lent in language or too threatening
in tone. The British never for
moment We're afraid that the Unit
ed States might enter the war
against them. They knew that all
danger of that had been swept aside
by the sinking of the Lusltania and
the constant violation by Germany
of American rights on the high seas
destroying human lives whereas the
British transgressions affected con-
traband property of American citl-
zens.
The United States, moreover, was
enjoying the beginnings Of an indus
trial revival due to the heavy pur-
chases made by the allied govern
ment in the United States, and pros
perity was too good political sio-
gan to be scorned in the campaign
of 1916, wherein Mr.. Wilson was
to come up for e-electlon-a mate
REALISTIC consideration by no means
cultrolling but present nevertheless
as an incidental factor,
With respect to the Irish question,
Mr. Wilson did realize that he could
be of service both to the Americans
OF Irish descent and the British gov
eminent, and he was not slow to let
the British know that their cause
in the United States was being IN
jured by their policy toward Ireland.
At the presidents elbow stood an
Irishman-Private Secretary Tumul-
ty-who was well aware of the po-
litical value of the Irish question
in the United States. Secretary Tu-
multy knew that large sections Of
the Democratic vote, especially in,
the large cities, came from the Irish
and their sons. In his own home
district, Jersey City, were thousands
of Irish voters and he knew the inn
| portance of retaining their support
| throughout the country. Woodrow
| Wilson was always in sympathy
with the aspirations of the Irish PEG
! ple-he knew history too well 20
regard the desires of the Irish as
unnatural or repreSsible. He never
lost a favorable opportunity to re-
mind the British of the American
relationship to the Irish question.
While the anti-war element in the
United States during the campaign
of 1916 was by no means made up
| OF persons who sympathized with
Germany as against Great Britain,
! thousands of anti-British partisans
voted the Democratic ticket because
Of a belief that Mr. Wilson would
keep the United States out of the
war on the side Of England.
Won as Peace Apostle
In not a single speech or state
ment did President Wilson promise
to keep the country out of war but
| the stump speakers did and the
theme of the entire campaign as
conducted by Democratic headquar-
tiers was a defense Of Mr.. Wilson S
policy in refusing to go to war with
Germany From this the inference
was clearly drawn that he was a
! candidate who would maintain
peace. Nor was there anything
! tangible in the declaration of the Re
publican candidate, Charles Evans
Hughes, to indicate that he would
plunge the United States into war.
Mr. Hughes confined himself simply
to a general declaration of his in
tention, should he be elected, to as
sert American rights and protect
! American interests everywhere.
Irrespective of Mr.. Wilson'S own
part in the campaign of 1916, the
vest certainly had the idea that
Mr. Wilson'S action in the past was
an assurance Of his intentions in the
future Since those momentous
days, especially in view of the fact
that within six months after the
| election or 1916, the United States
was engaged in war against Ger
many, there has been a tendency
TO regard the Democratic campaign
| of 1916 as q deception and Mr.. Will
sons part in 1t as an acqulescence
at least in the program of peace
The truth Of the matter is that
| Woodrow Wilson feared that the
| United States might be drawn into
! the war against her will but never
cherished the idea in 1916 that Ger
many would be SO foolish as to drag
America into the conflict. Mr.. Will
sons hopes were that the United
States might be mediator and peace
maker. For himself, he craved the
! privilege OF intervening and giving
! the basis of peace to the belliger-
ents. He made a speech in which
he spoke of the possibility of peace
without victory" and it was widely
misconstrued abroad as desire on
/ the part of Mr.. Wilson to deprive
| the allies of the fruits of their uti-
mate triumph by a premature armi-
stice. 1T was derided in America
as an empty phrase. But what Mr..
| Wilson hoped for was that the dead
lock might enable peace to be made
on d basis that would not kindle the
fires Of revenge or SOW the seeds OF
another war. lie meant a peace
without revenge.
Tuesdays chapter tells why