South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-03
Other Editors Than Ours
BACKING DOWN.
louisville Couricr-Journal.)


IF the league shall be put in such shape that
il will promote peace instead Of breeding disorder
and will work injustice to the United States
will support it," says Sen Lodge
This considered as an isolated statement means
no more than that the league should be redrafted
TO satisfy Sen. Lodge. who. in his opinion, is
the expert eague-maker Of Christendom the super
that respect Of the representatives OF IA ma
tions including Woodrow Wilson then, and then
only. would ne let the round robin out of'the cage
TO fly 10 Never-Never Land and cast an astute and
contented vote for the league.
in reality the utterapce means more. 1t
means that the self-chosen super-leaguemaker OF
the senate $ inclined to back down
About last Christmas Sen. Looge declared that
five Of the presidents IA points must GO else
the senate would not ratify the treaty The hve
points included the League Of Nations
A Washington newspaper supporting Sen Lodge
published article upon Mr.. Lodges warning that
the five points must 60" That article was in part
follows:
No one can for a moment mistake the effect OF
Sen. Lodges speech upon the situation in Paris.
European premiers and the entente peoples
know that Henry Cabot Lodge is authority upon
international affairs, OF worldwide reputation, and
that his judgment will carry great weight in the
final analysis of peace issues They know the peace
treaty under the circumstances hardly be eX-
pected TO become law in the United States against
opposition Sen Lodge. The speech is therefore
intimately related present discussion abroad
If it does show what kind of treaty will be made
it shows clearly what kind of treaty will be rati
fed. The attitude of Sen. Lodge has added i'm
portance because it is the attitude of the entente
premers is therefore obvious that Sen.
Lodge is "a very important factor i'm the peace delib
erations Prest Wilson must be able to show the
entente premiers that he will have the support OF
Lodge before he assume that peace treaty
drawn up will be ratified"
Lodges objection did not affect the presi-
dents course. but Sen. Lodge continued his anti
league activities. jan William H. Taft, Disguised
with the performance. published statement con-
demning what he termed the Inconsistency and
political unwisdom" of Sens. Knox and Lodge. 1T
will not do to hout the idea of the League of
Peace" warned the former president Should the
republicans who object to the league be strong
enough defeat the treaty they will have 10 decide
whether such course would he safe in politics in
the presidential campaign against the pressure OF
popular desire for immediate peace"
Judge Taft characterized Sens. Knox and Lodge
and their crowd republican DIRECTORS who mani
fest no constructive desire to create machinery to
keep the peace" animated by "the contemptuOus
skepticsm of the senate clOakroom and the cheap
sarcasms of the old diplomatic and senatorial band
Since December. since January. Sen Lodge has
learned that ii will not do TO oppose league
he must needs content himself with opposing the
league that is tentatively proposed. To that extent
he has backed down. Public opinion will back him
meantime the performance which aroused the in
dgnation o Judge Taft last January and which
was expected by friends OF Sen Lodge in December
TO affect the of events in Paris, will perhaps
continue.
When Sen Lodge votes for the League of Nations
he will be abandoning Inconsistency, for before
the danger of the of Pres't Wilson in Paris
developed and alarmed him he was an advocate of
a League of Nations.
The folly of the cheap cynicism" which aroused
has been demonstrated, but the cynics of the
must find place TO land before jumping from
their high horse of opposition to Prest Wilson
They will find IL in the minor changes that will
be made the final draft of the league is made
and they will vote Cor the league under compulsion
by the American people.