Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1920)
THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: MARCH 21. 1920. 11A 'WnuiiMai'tttiHiRtwit mill I? wmm it Iirsiiiie To Say--" We Don't Want a Soldier for President' Such a sentiment," if permitted to grow, '.would forever disqualify every one of the 4,800,000 boys who served in America's army and navy from holding pub- lie office. A -". v ' . When a war confronted you and there was a possibility- that your life, your country and your property were in danger, you were mighty glad to get the sery-, ices of the soldier. . N Are the problems of a nationduring a war period less important or, less per- , plexing than those of a peace period)? You urged the young men of Nebraska to enter the fight in order that your property and your life might be saved. You painted beautiful pictures of all you would do for fym when he returned victorious. You sent him away feeling that ; his was a great country a nation worth fighting for His country. You told him that his countrymen would never, never forget the service he would render. And now, when he has returned with the greatest record for faithful serv ice well performed, a soldier ever possessed; when he reaches the shores of the land in whose interests he offered his all; when he returns with a glow of pride for the country for which you told him he would be rendering such an everlasting service, you, who made him such iwonderful promises when he departed, now finding that your lives are no longer in danger, that your property is once more safe, that the country now seems protected from destruction, DELIBERATELY SLAP HIM IN THE FACE WITH THE INSULT: ( "WE DON'T WANT YOU FOR PRESIDENT" "WE DON'T WANT YOU FOR GOVERNOR" . "WE DON'T WANT YOU FOR MAYOR" "WE DON'T WANT YOU FOR PRECINCT AS. SESSOR." "We are through with you now. You' saved our lives; you protected our prop erty; you accomplished the biggest achievement in history; you forever established America's position as the leader in the world's civilization ; through your courage, America's valor and her ( . fame have swept to the four corners of the globe; to you and to you alone do we owe the life , ' of our nation. But we no longer need your services. We must let the PROFESSIONAL POLI ' TICIAN run our country. '"" YOU AMERICAN CITIZENS, when you saw danger confronting you how quickly you ran to those red-blooded fellows who ha4 the courage to offer their lives in order that you might have a better world in which to live! i v How quickly you made promises to always remember the service they would render! ' ". . How ea'sy it was for you to tell them that they should be recognized when they returned to the country for which they fought! ' ' ' '. 1 ' ' . '" " ' How easy it appears to be now for you to forget those promises after the danger has passed! x 4 It matters little whether your insult is directed at John J. Pershing, General, or John Poe, private soldier in America's army. Both wore the khaki. Each served with equal valor and patriotism. Koth are entitled to at least the same re spect you would show other citizens, particularly when one has demonstrated, through a long term of years, his marked executive ability and His understanding of the needs of the country from a civic as well as military standpoint. You can not say that solely because a citizen has offered his all and braved death in behalf of his country, he is unfitted to participate in the governmental affairs of his land. - ' . ' This propaganda that "we do not want a soldier for president" comes, first from certain democratic or socialist-inclined politicians, who, having no soldier candidate whom they desire to put forth, are seeking to tear down the prestige which Pershing has with his people. We know you will not listen to this propa- ganda. Those of you who have, unwittingly, had the' impression that there was some reason for such a statement, must realize the injustice you are doing the ' boys who fought for you. . . . - ' -V , ' Our Soldier Presidents Have Made Good! ' , The "Miami Arizona Silver Belt" put the truth in this nutshell:1 "Every great American war has pro duced at least one great military commander who has been elected president of the United States." Look into your history: Washington came from the Revolution; the war of 1812 gave us Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison; out of the Mexi can war came two presidents-General Taylor and Gen eral Pierce; the Civil war produced Grant, who de feated civilians in his two campaigns; President Hayes, Garfield and Benjamin Harrison, were generals in the Civil war; President McKinley was a major; the Spanish-Americai wargave us Theodore Roosevelt, who defeated a civilian for governor , of New York, later defeated a civilian for vice-president, and subse quently defeated another civilian for president. ' Did any of these soldier-presidents develop "mili tarism" in America? Did any of these soldier-presidents bring war upon us? ' , i Did any of these soldier-presidents involve us in international difficulties? ' Did any of these soldier-presidents embarrass our country diplomatically? Did any of them, throw the Nation into domestic discord. ; , JDid any of them destroy our national unity? . NO, EMPHATICALLY, NO. To' the contrary, America has prospered and progressed through the ad ministrations of these Hi Soldier-Presidents. His tory records that each of these men viewed every situ ation from the standpoint of the civilian, making the military subservient to the civic. Each knew that Ameriea would never tolerate militarism. All of them, having a practical understanding of the horrors of wars, applied that practical experience in prevent ing the recurrence of war. You trusted your country to him 'in time of war. Surely you can trust him with the less perplexing prob lems of peace. ? The fact that a man was a soldier does not, in it self , qualify him to hold public office, but if our Ameri can institutions are to live, and if respect for the Stars and Stripes is to continue, such service should not act as a disqualification. ; PERSHING Was a' Soldier in America's Army PERSHING is Also a Proven Business Executive-- A Diplomat a Statesman and Administrator "PERSHINCof NEBRASKA"is thgL6gicarGandidate for President CourtMjr Detavar Post. Rom P. Curtice . ' Rom P. Curtice Co. Robt. M. Joyce -Hankie at Joyce L. C Burr . Lawyer L. J. Duan City Nat'l. Bank ' Or. C F. Ladd ' Death! John T. Dorgan E. J. Burkctt S. H. Burnham Whitebreaat Coal Co." Attorney Firtt Nefl. Bank L,B'.HNWf! n t ! Raymond Eli Shire Crty Nail. Bank . Rym0IM Bro.-aarke Mayer Broi. , Emery Hardy. ' k c I . c t- K ardy Fomlture Co. A .C' S 1 " Swallow Bro"r Foter Lumber Co. Art Raymond G- Holmee - ', W. M. Leonard ' ' Lincoln Drug Co. Firt Trut Ce. Loant Max Beftol Ted Searlee ' Low Rickett ' Attorney ls . Searlei-Cbapin Lbr. Co. Lawyer ' Everett Sawyer Frank Gillen Cushman Motor Work . Gilien dc Boney J. C. Seacrett Walton C. Robert i State Journal Co. ' . Roberta Undertaker C. B. Towlo Wonderland Theater Curti., Towle 4 Paine & Palace Theater Hebb Motor Co. J. Cat Cornell Charle Lord Cornell-Searlet ; Lord Auto Co. E. B. Stephenson . Security Mutal Life .". J. Sia Lincoln Tractor C. E. Reynold Ralph P. Wilton Central Hotel George Holden J. A. Sorenton Wettern Glai eV. aint w u tr i ' Neb. Building A Loaa A. H. Armstrong Manuel Brother , Arm.troni Clothing Co.. John C. Wright Chriitiaii Jc Herman Real Eatate Dr. A. O. Faulkner M. C Johneon Rf E14- " R. A. Bickford Ed Woodward - . u , . r W. L. Green Real Eatate Woodward Brother Harington Realty Co. Lwy,r . H.- .n.k- Gut C. Chamber. Chariea CH.on Frank Eager L. C' Story , Harvey Rathbonc Real Eatate THIS ADVERTISEMENT PAID FOR BY THE .ABOVE NAMED PERSONS. , - - , m. I ,1