South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-08

~ ship into the League Of Nations discussions,
perhaps the best light that recently been
made TO shine upon it. regardless Of the Lodge.
Borah. Knox. New. Watson and other round robin
sources is that which since the recent meeting al
Indianapolis has crept through the screen burning
hole through which it lately shines as the noon
cay.
The country Is well aware OF Sen. Borahs de
upon the republican party, that it take up the
League OF Nations a party issue is well aware Of
the more yelled tendencies in that direction in
dulged by Sens. Lodge Curtis and others submissive
10 their com ma nd that be discussed in
the language only Of republican counsel But of
course. this does preclude them under their
claims OF divinity as the leaders Of Gods Own
Party" from seeking make it appear that it is
Pres't Wilson and Democratic National Chairman
Cummings. they alone. who have permitted par
t!sanship TO enter into the consideration.
It would not be surprising and indeed quite in
keeping with past experiences IT, but for the round
robin" which got into print these &. O. p" camou-
agists divining the trend Of the public mind and
the popularity Of the League Nations idea should
seek TO claim the original continuous credit for
it. that they been for all the while. and that
only Prest Wilson National Chairman Cummings
and others now damned for being it. had always
been against Really too, past
might be cited confirming the claim quite
clearly as the round robin" disproves it, June,
1915. Sen. Lodge. delivering the graduating address
Union college, said:
Nations must unite as men unite in order
preserve peace and order. The great nations
must be united be able 10 say TO any
single country You must not TO war; and
they can only say that effectively when the
country desiring knows that the force which
the united nations place behind peace is ire
sistbie"
That is exactly what the League Of Nations pur-
poses to furnish and is politics why is Sen
Lodge so strong for something OF the kind then, so
persistenty against it now-when a democratic
president whom he happens to dislike, chances TO
be the international leader in its favor?
And II not politics why the snub TO ex-Prest
Taft by the Lodge-Curtis- Borah etc. following at
the time or the recent League to Enforce Peace
meeting at indianapolis when the former president
visited capital city, speak for the league cove
nants Remember Mr.. Taft is a republican. He is
the only living republican ex-president. That the
League OF Nations need not be partisan issue is
proven by strong support Of it, backing the
American president-notwithstandng that he is
democrat-aIong with scores of other leading re-
publicans Former Atty. Gen. Wickersham for in
stance: ditto. DR.. a. Lawrence Lowell president OF
Harvard university and ex-Gov. Samuel w. Mccall
Of Nassac husetts and so we might down
long list.
Neither Pres't wilson's nor Pres't Tafts being
for the league makes it right As we have said OF
il before it is right principle FIRST, re-
gardless Of party. and regardless Of the men who
are for against it. and they are right or wrong
in being for or against IT, rather than il being either
on their account It is the same with this it
is with the rotten conditions Of South Bend morals
as affected by our city administration It doesn't
der them any more holy because the admnistra-
ton is republican nor it make them worse
n it we're democratic Notwithstanding the army Of
toby- four inteuectuals. TO whom the label seems
to be all there is to it, for good or for evil
And they seem to have some "two-by- four" minds
In India annapolis as we'll in South Bend for when
the committee in charge Of the League to Enforce
Peace meeting requested the governor of Indiana TO
preside and introduce the former president he de
elined explaining that he would be in New York on
the day OF Mr. Taft's visit Did he deliberately lie
about il? He was seen to take train for Win
chester Ind but few minutes before Mr. Tafts
arrival and winchester was the nearest to New
York that Gov. Goodrich got for several days What
is deliberate fasehood in the scale Of political sin
in comparison with the introduction of former
president and particularly a republican, so pa
trioticaIly non partisan 10 support important
international measure. championed at the scene Of
its enactment by democrat?
But that Il was party. rather than alone
gubernatoriaI snub that the former president got
is evidenced also by the conduct of Mayor Jewett
He too is a republican and after the governor had
lied out OF it-though the committee did not know
II was a lie until later.-the mayor of the capita
city was asked to preside, and present the dis
nguished visitor the people Assuredly either th'
governor. the mayor were the proper dignitaries
10 preside such a gathering, called for the pur
pose OF educating the public great nternationa
question.-but the Indianapolis mayor too busy
he asked TO be excused. He wasn't sure but though
ne might have be out of the city that day; WASH
sure assuredly for out of the city ne wasn't
Thus a former president OF the United States was
ofhciaIly snubbed by the governor Of Indiana anc
the mayor OF tho canlta city the state. quite with