Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1918 — “FALSEHOOD UNDER SAINTLY SHEW” [ARTICLE]

“FALSEHOOD UNDER SAINTLY SHEW”

There is one passage in the rancorous diatribe delivered by Senator Stone the falsity of which finds new parallels in* the records of Congressional debate. He declared: “Can we forget, should we forget, that the present Government is charged with the mighty responsibility of managing the tremendous affairs connected with the conduct of this war? The government has been charged by the people with this responsibility.” ' The sole appeal of the Democratic party to the couptry in the 1916 election was , “He Kept Us Out of War!” That was the political slogan, that was the idea which 'Was dinned into the ears of the nation. They categorically refused to discuss dny other issue. If they were accused of mistakes, of extravagance, of inefficiency, of repudiated platform pledges, of changes Of mind—on the pallid bust of Woodrow they perched and croaked, “He Kept Us Out of War.” •

In short, they convinced the people that if, Charles Hughes were elected, war was inevitable, if Woodrow Wislon were elected, war was impossible. They bluffed the country into a peace vote, ‘aye, and they" lied despicably to the people. Events which have transpired since November, 1916, information which the government, which Mr. Wilson, possessed before the election was held, and which was withheld until his election was secured, present convincing evidence Jhat the president and his royal retinue of political bashaws knew they were cozening the people—that phrase-making and artful dodgery and faint-heartedness had created a situation which made war inevitable, rib matter who might be elected.

But this double dealing achieved its result —the election to a second term of a man who-had violated all the party pledges of his first. N°t charged by the people with the responsibility of a war, but, as they believed, charged with the responsibility of keeping out.of the war, as they had been assured thqt was possible to do. It is conceivable that Americans, who had had four years of miserable administration and abominable legislation, whilst we fattened on the agony of Europe, would have entrusted the destinies of the country to that same administration knowing we were to plunge into the war? Would a crew that couldn’t handle a windjammer be entrusted with a first-class man-O’-war? Not while there was a ,teaspoonful of plain American horse sense left in the United States.

Well, we are in the war, or expect to be if it lasts long enough. The people who believed in “peace with Wilson” and voted on that basis, naturally feel their gorge rise occas- , tonally when they think of the way they were duped, but, for the most part they are whole-heartedly supporting any measure which will down the Hun. They now have the spectacle of previously proved inefficiency multiplied by the world-war demands on cabinet officers of mediocre capacity; of the terrible effects of two and one-half years of snoozing and failure to prepare; of partisonship of the rankest sort and downright refusal of the administration to avail itself of the best, intellect of the country, regardless of party affiliation; of a bureaucracy strangled in its own red tape and hitched to every part of the wagon but the pole. They demand results, and they do not believe that one man, who accepts advice from no one but a Texas colonel, is big enough for the job. The department of munitions provided for by the 'bill now before the senate may bring order out 'of chaw. It does not abridge the power of the president in the slighest degree, but it does have for its object- the Co-ordination of the nation’s forces. The public will fight for it. -It is the issue between the legislative and the executive. Certainly we being guilty of criminal delay under the present order.

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ROWLES & PARKER.

Attorney and Abraham Halleck went to Kentland this morning. This is the last day of the present term of the Newton county circuit court.