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"Democrats in the World War"
I do not put our victory in the World War in the proud list of
Democratic achievements. Though fought under the leadership of the
greatest Democrat since Jefferson, and although without the support
of his party in every crisis it could not have been brought to its
successful and triumphant conclusion, it was the people's war in a
peculiar sense. The patriotic support given to the government
during the war by men of every political faith, proves that
passionate love of country and intense devotion to our institutions
are a part of the creed of every political party in the nation.
But I do insist that we shall hear no more of the old slander
that the Democratic party cannot be trusted to lead in a great war.
We may give to individual Americans the full measure of praise
which a grateful republic will always shower upon the men who
sprang to its defense with unprecedented valor and unhesitating
devotion to its Christian cause. But the impartial historian must
and will write it down as an incontrovertible fact that the party
in power rose with unstinted enthusiasm to the needs of the hour,
while its leadership translated the will and spirit of the American
people into decisive and courageous action, without which
ignominious failure would have been our portion in the Armageddon
of the nation.
It has never been any reflection upon the courage or the
patriotism of the millions of northern Democrats who followed his
leadership, for history to accord to Abraham Lincoln and the party
which he led the full measure of credit which was their due for
saving the Union in the dark days of the Civil War. The great
empire on whose dominions the sun never sets gratefully
acknowledges that success could not have come to British arms
without the superb political leadership of that masterful little
Welshman, David Lloyd George. While France -- rescued from the
very jaws of death by the courage of her sons, whose blood has
colored all the rivers that wash her sunny slopes -- does honor to
the skill of her generals, the courage of her men, and the
sacrifice of her women by acknowledging the chief debt to be due
the old tiger of France, Clemenceau.
Must we forever sit silent under partisan charges of waste,
extravagance or mistake -- many of them the necessary accompaniment
of war -- without any credit for the great and overwhelming result
which we achieve? Let history begin to tell the truth now, and it
will say that the common courage of our men and women, the combined
efforts of capital and labor, the joint support of city and farm,
all were welded into an irresistible force, by a leadership never
surpassed in the history of parliamentary government. And that was
the leadership which the Democratic party gave to the world when it
joined its practical achievements with its high ideals behind
Woodrow Wilson.
The hard won victory of American arms will prove but a hollow
and unavailing triumph if we do not make certain that out of it
shall come a greater liberty, a better America, and a surer peace -
- these three, and the greatest of these is peace, for peace means
liberty for everyone. Peace means America forevermore. And peace
means the bright new skies of that glorious day which was ushered
in by the Master when He blessed a weary world: My peace I give
unto you. My peace I leave with you.
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