The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-29
Washington Sees Indication of
Breach Among Leaders.
Senator Heading Taft League
in Support of Lodge?
1.-THE PACIFIST MIDDLE WEST"
But Lukewarm Republicanism
Listed Capper With League.
Lively War Among Taft Or
ganizatiOn Is Predicted.

Senator Arthur Capper'S stand with
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts on the
league of nations is viewed by official
Washington as an indication of a
breach among leaders in William
Howard Taft's League to Enforce
Peace. Senator Capper is at the head
of the Taft peace league in Kansas.
His swing behind Senators Lodge,
Knox, Borah and other leaders is
viewed in tho national capital as an
| indication of future trouble.
OF even greater importance than the
| possible breach in the Taft league is
| the opinion of official Washington that
Senator Capper's position n ay indicate
| the position of the 'pacifist middle
| west" as the Washington Post refers
to this district. The Washington paper
| frankly admits surprise over the
action of Senator Capper in leaning
! toward the Wilson opposition on the
| league project. Thru such changes.
the Post declares, is the prospect of
an opposition which will beat down
! all chances for adoption of the peace
| covenant.
i Should Se-ator Capper continue in
his stand with the senate opposition
! Kansas will again upset the dope
sheet and change the peace situation.
Because of Senator Capper's luke
warm Republicanism" when he was
1
| prognosticators had listed the new
senator from this state with the league
| of nations project. Senator CapperS
| endorsement of the speeches of Sena-
! tor Lodge and other members places
him on record tho, and the Post pre-
| diets that sufficient votes to block the
peace policy of President Wilson thru
the league of nations, may now be as
4 sured.
The Post not only recalls Governor
Capper's failure to make straight
from the shoulder fight in 1915, but
predicts that his endorsement of the
+Knox-Lodge-Borah organizations may
occasion a lively war among members
of the League to Enforce Peace. In
a news story the Post predicts So
nations proposal.
As Washington Post Sees 1t.
The Post story follows:
Il War has broken out in the ranks
and among the officers of the League
to Enforce Peace, of which William
HI. Taft is president The trouble mas as
arisen over the attempt of Mr.. Taft
and DR.. A. Lawrence Lowell, president
of Harvard University and chairman
of the executive council of the or
ganization, to put the League to En-
force Peace on record in favor of the
covenant for a league of nations as
advocated by President Wilson.
Other members of the executive
council of the league to Enforce
Peace do not regard the present cove
nant for a world league, as drafted
in Paris. in line with the policy of
their organization, and steps have
been taken to call upon Mr.. Taft and
DIR. Lowell to state by what authority
they are joining forces with President
Wilson in advocating the proposed
| Paris instrument.
Commends Anti Speeches.
Arthur Capper, Republican senator
from Kansas, has written to Senators
Knox, Lodge and Borah, leaders of
the Republican opposition to the
league covenant, strongly commend
: ing their speeches on the subject, and
! stating that the people of Kansas are
| not in favor of the proposed instru-
| ment. AS Senator Capper is also pres
| ident of the Kansas branch of the
League to Enforce Peace, his refusal
to approve the Wilson program is a
further evidence of the inability of
| that body to keep peace in its own
ranks.
But much greater Importance is
attached to the announcement of Sen
ator Capper that he is against the
league covenant. 1t is interpreted in
Washington-and doubtless will be st
interpreted all over the country-as a
| plain indication of how the so-called
, pacifist middle western states are
| likely to line up on the present issue
Contributed to Wilson's Victory.
i It is no secret that the lukewarn
Republicanism of Mr.. Capper, wher
! he was governor of Kansas, contribu.
ted largely to the Wilson victory ir
, that state in the last presidential cleo
ton, where the slogan, HE kept Us
out of war" which was worked by the
Democratic national committee in thai
r election, struck a popular chord.
: On this account senators on both
sides ef the fight over the league OF
nations have been expecting Kansas
to lean toward the present league
covenant and therefore Senator Cap
: per has been counted among ths
> friends of the Wilson program. Now
/ | that he has come out on the othel
, side of the question, the opponents Of
the present covenant are beginning Il
: express confidence that they will bt
q BILE to command a clear majority Of
, the senate-and not merely more thar
) one-third- against the instrument.
Majority Against League.
) There are SO Republican signers Of
the Lodge resolution against the pres
ent instrument. while only 33 vote:
! are needed to prevent ratifica ton
/ Since the adjournment of congress
D however. eight more Republican sen
ators have signified their opposition
and at least six Democratic senator;
i are against it. This means that a
present the opposition can count OF
D 53 votes against the league. unless i
I is changed to safeguard the indepen
: dence of the United States and pre-
serve American international policy.
Altho a two-thirds vote of the senat.
: is required for ratification of a treaty
a majority vote would decide whether
or not the league of nations should b.
separated from the general peace
treaty. If the advoca ties of the vii
son, program could command even
! small ma ority. they could prevent tht
! opponents from carrying out the-l
movement to divorce the two ques
tons, so that the peace settlement
might be approved and the league GOV,
, enant thrown overheard. This would
be slight tactical advantage for tn.
Wilson senators, because some of tbs
1ukewarm opponents of the league
, might hesitate to sacrifice peace t.