Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 209, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1918 — HAYS SOUNDS THE KEYNOTE [ARTICLE]

HAYS SOUNDS THE KEYNOTE

REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN PUTS WINNING THE WAR ABOVE PARTY SUCCESS. <* The following address was* delivered by Will H. Hays, chairman of the National Republican committee. It bristles with patriotism and makes winning the war the paramount issue: “We are living today in an epoch in all the eons of God’s eternity. There has never been anything like it since time began, and there will never be again while time shall last The world is on fire. There will never be a moment in ,the lives of any of us when it will be so important that individually and collectively we direct our thoughts with care and our actions with consideration. This country has to save the world. The Republican press is the voice, far-reaching, of that political party constituting in all probability the majority of the citizenry of this country. We are Republicans, we* are proud of it. The history of the actions of the Republican party is the store of the progress of the nation. A man could not have beeh more proud to have been a Republican in 1861, when the party was born to make men free, nor in 1898, when it gave its best to preserve the liberty of a down-trodden neighboring people, than he is to be a Republican today. In this, the greatest of all crises in our history, when theßepublican party finds the control of the government in other hands, it still sinks deeper into the soul of the nation and, true to its tradition, becomes the dominant war party, insisting upon the right of a full participation, pledging ourselves TO GIVE THE LAST OF OUR BLOOD AND OUR TREASURE TO WIN THE WAR AND WIN IT NOW; PLEDGING OURSELVES FOREVER AGAINST INCONCLUSIVE PEACE AND AT vEVERY MOMENT OF FALTERING ON THE PART OF THOSE IN POWER INSTANTLY PICKING UP THE GUERDON OF BATTLE AND CRYING CONTINUALLY: ‘CARRY ON!CARRY ON! CARRY ON!’

This is the’mission of the Republican party at the moment. Think what it means to the country’s cause for the minority party to strive continually to outdo the majority party in every war activity, and actually lead in its unqualified support of all war measures. This is our high privilege and duty. It is our business to see that our party runs true to its tradition, continues steadfast in its tradition, purpose, and functions in its perfonnance of loyal, efficient national sergice, requiring it of our own membership and of everyone else, Democrat or Republican, in office or out of office, high or law, and regardless of the individual, nig or little. The fact that the Republican party •in congress has been able to give a more generous war support than the opposition is not recited by Republicans in disparagement of the Democrats. By tradition, by training, by experience, by aspiration, and by actual performance, we have been qualified to do this. More is properly expected of us by reason of these things, and the fact that we have been true" to our consistent record of preparedness, patriotism and performance, though at times subjected to the most narrow partisan attempts to deter us, does not entitle us to any more credit than that due for the discharge of ariy recognized duty. There is no geography, political or physical, in the patriotism of this country. Democrats and Republicans alike love the flag and are ready together to die for it. I attribute to the membership of the Democratic party in this country the same high patriotic motives and loyal hearts which we claim for ourselves.

We guarantee that our candidates shall be men who are supremely proAmerican, believing in one flag and one people for this country, who will repudiate every vote not Wholly loyal, and denounce any support not wholly patriotic, and who will give the country’s all for the winning of the war and a conclusive peace. I hope and trust that the Democratic party will work by the same token. .And again I urge that there be no contest in this country this fall between any individuals or any political parties as to anything that touches the war except that contest—who best can serve, < who most can give. I challenge the opposition to do more. I dare them to do less.

I have pity, rather than any other concern, for those men who accuse Republicans of a lack of patriotism and a failure in war support Such statements, spawned in spite and uttered with the evident belief that a partisan advantage can % be gained thereby, are the walls of* ignorance 'and the woofs of selfishness. They do no harm politically to those against whom they are directed. The contrary is true. But for national reasons most important I most earnestly urge continually that there be no allegations from either one side or the other concerning disloyalty in this campaign. Shame on that man or committee of either party who does that! Such allegations are calculated to create among unthinking people a

feeling of resentment on one side and distrust on the other, when acrimonious divisions are most deplorable. Such allegations, will give a totally false impression of conditions in this country to the enemy. And the man or the committee, or the party who starts anything like that is guilty in the very act of the worst kind of disloyalty. This is no time for little things. All the organized diabolical forces of a scientifically trained brutality are at the throat of this country. And we appeal to all patriots, whatever their politics, to aid us in every way possible in our efforts to require that partisanship be kept out of the war management and all war activities. In the name of every American soldier in France, in the name of every

American mother of those boys, I appeal for the support of the country’s cause by all men and women without thought of party. ' Let no political parties spend their time accusing each other of disloyalty, when both 4d*e Joyal. Rather let us endeavor to make certain that every possible efficient instrument in men and material which is available shall be used in winning the war, that efficiency shall replace inefficiency wherever found, and that both the two great political horses which we shall have harnessed together, and freely to share in the pulling of the heavy load, each driving to see winch can pull the harder. There will always be political con-

tests. This is properly invitaible in this and every other popularly governed country. Just as we must keep partisanship out of the war, so should every man demonstrate the fact that it is better to be an American than to be a Prussian by exercising the privilege of his citizenship. We remember that we are fighting in France today to make certain that men shall forever have the right to govern themselves. Here, where we have that privilege, we propose to exercise it now and .always. A fair contest for political power is no less an antiseptic in war times than in peace times. In fact, in war times we require even more than in peace times the more careful scrutiny of the principles and of the candidates which are to rule us. And

we can not too often remember the Republican party’s purpose. While striving first to win the war, and standing irrevocably against any peace based on a compromise of .principles, we propose to prepare for after-war problems, and take such steps that 5n all wisdom should be taken now, to the end that While we fight to make certain forever the right of free government throughout the world we shall not forget that we have a republic to preserve in this country. While every first-class power in Europe is preparing for the economic and social, which will come after the war, the United State salone does nothing. We declare . against this fallacious •watchful waiting.’ A greater shame than any of the past will presently be upon us if this new failure continues. And we propose to prevent the continued riding of our ship of state in these doldrums. We will put her nose into the open sea, with the signal ‘full steam ahead.’ Deploring the socialistic tendencies of the present government, we declare that while there is absolutely nothing in this country which should not be taken and used for necessary war purposes, such taking shall be for war purposes only, and that in such action there must ibe no eventual ulterior Object. We will move forward with a full appreciation of the new needs of the nation, and with a full determination to watch well the ancient landmarks.”