Evening journal., 1919-11-01

mired by the world
In keeping with the Presidents as
sertion that we will become desplsed
suspected and distrusted. by mindini
our own business, was his declaration
at Sacramento. There he said with
out the League Of Nations we would
simply sink back into the slough o
! despond in which mankind was befor,
thf war" But we were in no slough
Of despond before the war. We wer,
a happy, prosperous, powerful, pro
gresslve. cOntented nalion-free OF for.
elgn entanglements, proud OF the ira
ditions Of Washington. devoted 10 the
principles OF Jefferson, secure under
the Monroe doctrine It Is now that
we walow in the slough of despond
now, while the President OF the United
States is spending his time "rightine
the history Of Europe" instead Of right
ing the wrongs Of America.
Next TO the Irish question the be-
trayal OF China is the subject which
has most engaged the attention of the
American people and most excited
their indignation. And in attempting
TO extricate himself from this dilemma
It is here that the President has floun-
dered worst. He admits that It was bad
and wrong to desert China and delib-
erately turn over her richest province
to her most deadly foe But Mr.. VIII
son says that he has the handsome
promise Of Japan TO give Shantung
back. The bandit that committed the
robbery has agreed to return the booty.
In all the history Of diplomacy has
anything so preposterous been de-
| clared? Japan give Shantung back!
Can anyone in the United States be
found naive enough to tolerate this ar
front to common sense2
"This Is a peoples treaty" the Pres
ident says But what mOckery It Is, as
has been pointed out before, to say TO
the people that this treaty, framed in
secret by the minions OF kings, is a
peoples treaty this treaty which
tears 100000 free people from the
bosom OF the Chinese republic and
forces them fettered into the imperial
dominions OF Japan; this treaty which
guarantees that Korea shall forever re-
main bound I'm shackles, the vassal OF
the Mikado; this treaty which reduces
the black men OF Arrlca TO the de-
gradation OF serfs; this treaty which
DEGREES the eternal subiugation OF the
liberty-lovlng people Of Ireland This
peoples treatyl Has human intellect
abdicaled? Can II be that American
citizens will stand stultlned and swal-
low such absurdities?
But most alarming OF all was the
Presidents alleged uiteTance at Kansas
City. "The League Of Nations" he ex-
planned, "is greater than the Senate. It
is greater than the government"
AT first 1t was scarcely credible that
The President had said this; or if he did
say It, 10 seemed that it must have
been a slip Of the tongue Il is almost
untlIinkable that any American citizen
Snuch less an American President, could
declare any other government or d0cu-
ment or cause to be greater than the
government OF the United States. But
the amazing sentence has not been re-
pudlaied, denied, or explained by the
President, and il has been so often re-
peated on the floor OF the Senate and
elsewhere. that IL may be assumed as
true that these were Mr.. Wilson's
words.
And upon reflection 10 is probable that
the President in fact believes that he
has discovered a scheme Of government
greater than the government founded
by the Fathers Of this republic. It
would not be proper, however, IN COM
menting upon this shocking utterance-
for It must be shocking 20 many pa
iriots OF the old type-to attempt to
give the Presidents language any mean
ing other than that which he intended.
The League or Nations has two main
features; its alleged purpose 10 prevent
future wars, and its apparent scheme
Of super-government 10 is the latter
feature which its opponents dwell upon,
and perhaps exaggerate. IL is the for
mer feature which the President urges,
and probaly magnlnes. He contends
that the governmental characteristics Of
the League Of Nations are only Incl
dental and that the primary and prin-
cipal purpose OF the league Is to make
future wars impossible. Therefore, !
when the President declared the League |
OF Nations TO be greater than the gov
srnment Of the United States he did |
not intend TO assert, perhaps, that It'll
creates a super-stale greater than the |
United states, but intended, rather. TO !
say that Il is greater and a nobler |
hing TO prevent war in the world than
10 find or 10 have government like |
he United states.
II this is so, American patriots viii |
AXE issue with the President, for the |
United States would go to war tomor-
'ow, and has Just gone to war, so it !
contends. TO preserve our institutions;
our schools. our laws, our homes, our
customs. our high grade OF labor. our
'espect for women, our freedom OF
.peech. our social conditions, our re-
igion.
The calamity OF war is Insignificant
with the calamity OF ma
ionsl obliteraiion; Insignificant TO the
alamity Of subservience. Therefore, 1t
: not greater TO prevent war than TO
lave nation like ours. Liberty IS The
opmost motto on the banner Of this L
epublic. Even TO prevent war the
United states will never surrender its
and sovereignty. That is
vhy the Senators stand firm in The
ace OF epiiheis and executive indigna-
ion. That is why Mr.. Wilson's trip
vas a failure.
Washington. not Geneva. must forever
,e the supreme seat of authority for
he American people.