WAR RECORD
Liberal leaders are proud of Cox’s war record. It is a great pleasure
to talk with Ohio men who served as soldiers to France. As Mr. Cox was
the real war Governor of Ohio, his record was very easy to secure. The
returned soldiers speak in the highest terms of what Governor Cox did
for them before they sailed, while they were in France and since their
return. Well they may as he thought of them first, last and all the
time.
ENLISTED MEN
Governor Cox went at great length to improve the condition of the Ohio
soldier. He favored all of the legislation presented in the soldiers’
behalf and made numerous trips to Washington and elsewhere in the
interests of these men.
There are three factors in connection with the waging of war. There is
the _government_; there is the _property interests_ of the country;
and lastly, there is the _enlisted and drafted men_. Some men who put
politics before principles would have appealed equally for the
interests of all these three parties; but he did not. Whether he made
a mistake, politically, only the future can tell. He took the
unorthodox position of stating that the interests of the men were
paramount to the interests of wealth or property and equal to the
interests of the government itself. The Governor believed that the
United States should not follow Germany in its error of making the
state greater than those who make up the state. The Governor felt that
a very vital principle was here involved and continually fought to
have the real purpose of the war kept constantly in view.
Consequently both in his speeches and papers he fought for the
“common” people of Ohio--the boys on the farms and in the factories.
Unlike some Senators who were willing to send our boys to Europe to
die but who now are unwilling to give up any of their own power to
prevent future wars, James M. Cox was consistent with his concepts of
true Americanism.
FALSE PATRIOTISM
Governor Cox was one of the first to criticize certain Republican
leaders for their misuse of the patriotic appeal. He appealed for true
patriotism. He criticized that patriotism which is of the hurrah boy
style. He does not believe in “America First, Right or Wrong,” which
is the slogan of certain Republican senators. Governor Cox believes
the real protection of the country depends on protecting the
individuals who make up the country, and that all countries must
ultimately prosper or suffer together.
James M. Cox believes the teachings of Jesus should be applied to
classes and nations; that the ultimate safety of the United States
depends not on erecting a high wall about ourselves and letting the
rest of the world go to smash, but rather in pulling down such walls
and saving the rest of the world. Says he:
“America will be prosperous only when the individuals who make up
America are prosperous; and America as a nation will be safe only as
the people of all nations are safe. However we may differ in religion
or politics, economically we are all brothers together and must
ultimately suffer or prosper as one group.”
ATTITUDE BEFORE THE WAR
James M. Cox vigorously and frankly opposed many of the policies of
Great Britain. The Republicans frequently criticize him for this,
referring to quotations from his papers to support their charges.
It appears to me quite evident in looking back over the last five
years, that Cox at one time misunderstood the fundamentals of the
European war. Thus on the 7th of November, 1915, a year and a half
before we entered the war, an editorial in the News declared that
“Victory by Germany was not the worst thing that could happen”; and as
late as the 3rd of September, 1916, the News emphasized the importance
of not relying wholly on Great Britain and the importance of not
fearing her. Surely warnings appeared constantly in one or both of the
Governor’s papers. Certain of his friends deny that the Governor was
acquainted with such statements before they were written, and some go
so far as to state that the editorials did not represent the
Governor’s personal feelings. I cannot believe it.
Senator Harding through his paper at Marion, Ohio, has a similar
record. Furthermore, Senator Harding’s neutrality speech as chairman
of the Republican National Convention in 1916 was along the same lines
as the Cox editorials. Both were keen enough to see the dangers of
hasty intervention and both feared British influence. Later events
failed to justify the position of Cox and Harding, yet fair-minded
men will give credit to both for their moral courage.
Concerning these criticisms, the Governor says:
“All editorials which the Republicans have cited were published before
this country entered the war. They were at a time when feeling
regarding the proper policy for this country to pursue was in a state
of constant fluctuation. At times it even verged on differences with
Great Britain over blockade policies which necessitated the exchange
of important diplomatic notes.”
The Republican leaders once urged Colonel Roosevelt to attack Governor
Cox for his criticism of England in a speech he made at the dedication
of a soldiers’ monument in Columbus; but the Colonel declined with the
declaration that he could not do so as he had already pronounced
Governor Cox “One of America’s greatest war governors.”
James M. Cox was the first Governor to sense the inconsistencies of
Great Britain. He was especially troubled by her attitude on the Irish
question. His heart went out to Ireland from the first. I am convinced
that if he becomes President and the United States is in the League,
he will immediately force Ireland’s case before the League.
THE REAL ISSUE
The real issue, however, should not be clouded by paragraphs taken
here and there from the newspapers of either Senator Harding or
Governor Cox. The truth is that both of these men at that time stood
for neutrality, as did some of the prominent Senators who afterwards
so violently talked patriotism. Furthermore, both Mr. Cox and Mr.
Harding were rightfully backed in their opinions by a large mass of
thoughtful people throughout the land.
From August 4, 1914, up to a short time before the United States
entered the war, there was a very strong feeling among the liberal
people of this country that the fight was primarily between England
and Germany, and the stakes were primarily the world’s trade and
commerce. Before the war England controlled the seas; Germany was
continually chafing more and more at this control and she finally
broke forth into the world war to seize this control from England. No
right-thinking people backed Germany in her designs, but a great many
good people felt as Jesus did when a mother of Israel came to him
regarding securing inheritances for her son.
As the war progressed and German brutality increased, the great mass
of American people, including Governor Cox, Senator Harding and many
others of us, saw that another factor was developing which
overshadowed the economic factor. When two dogs are fighting over a
bone, a sensible man will keep out of the fight; but when either one
of the dogs becomes so vicious as to bite a by-stander, then it is up
to all good people to pounce upon the vicious dog and put him out of
business. This was the situation which brought us into the war. It is
well enough for bombastic orators to now say that America should have
entered the war just as soon as Germany violated Belgium, but the
simple fact is that no power under Heaven could have got the American
people to have entered the war at that time. Furthermore, it was only
the changed conditions which caused the American people to enter the
conflict.
PERSONAL OPINION
I cannot resist the temptation of expressing my feelings in this
chapter. They are as follows: If a referendum of the American people
had been taken in 1915 or 1916, 90 per cent would have voted for
neutrality. Furthermore, it is not yet known when America would have
entered the war had not Germany lost her moral sense and become almost
insane. But under the circumstances there was only one thing to do;
namely, to put Germany under control. After she was put under control,
America felt that it would be time enough to discuss the merits of the
case. This means that we should not only refrain from criticizing
those who stood for neutrality, but it means that now that Germany is
under control we should see that a League of Nations is formed and
that the fourteen points, in consideration of which Germany signed the
Armistice, should so far as we are able be carried out. If we are
truly honest men, it is now up to us all to fulfil the post-war
promises of our representatives. For this James M. Cox is fighting,
believing that the promise of a nation is as sacred as the promise of
an individual.
There is altogether too much loose talk about “patriotism.” Much of
this is put forward by the reactionary interests of this country in
order to block progress and reform. When any one raises his fist to
oppose present wrongs, he is called “unpatriotic.” The flag is being
constantly used, not for the protection of liberty for which it was
designed, but for the protection of the oppressor who is using it as a
cloak. Investigations in Ohio show that both candidates are sane on
this point and Cox with his larger vision is desirous of extending his
democracy to other nations. This probably explains why the great
missionary leaders of the world are so enthusiastic for the League of
Nations and are earnestly praying that James M. Cox may some day be
President.
Mr. Cox also showed the courage of his convictions many years before
the war when he was in Congress. He believed in the United States
having an army and a navy adequate to protect our people, but he did
not believe that the end justifies every means or that the government
is greater than the people who make it up.
Hence, when the Naval Appropriation Bill was under consideration he
made in Congress a bitter attack on the Republican Administration’s
method of obtaining recruits. He produced evidence showing that
recruits were obtained under false pretenses; that boys were
encouraged to state an age older than they really were; and that even
liquor and bad women were used to lure men to enlist. Hence, he
succeeded in attaching to the Appropriation Bill a clause requiring
the production of birth certificates in connection with the recruiting
for the Navy. Every mother and father should bless him for his moral
courage.
In talking these things over one day, Mr. Cox said to me:
“I believe not only in international democracy, but also in domestic
democracy. But most of all I believe that reforms can be permanent in
America only as they extend to other nations. I reason the same
relative to financial, industrial and other local problems. I see that
in order for the labor movement not to harm the manufacturer in
America, labor legislation must be international in operation. For the
eight-hour day to permanently succeed in America, it must apply to
Europe and Japan. Otherwise industry here may ultimately suffer in
competition with foreign producers. Notwithstanding Senator Lodge’s
‘America First’ standard, we cannot be ‘first’ in the long run by
being selfish. We all are brothers one of another, rich or poor,
American or European. Sooner or later we must all suffer or prosper
together. We can save ourselves only as we save others. The only way
America can truly come out first is to forget herself as Jesus would
teach us to do. We can save ourselves only as we will forget ourselves
and save others. We must work by the Golden Rule rather than by the
rule of gold.”