The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1919-02-20
THE FIGHT IS ON

President Wilson has returned
from France with the draft of the
terms of the League of Nations in
his pocket. The nations of Europe
have passed upon the proposition,
and within a short time the people of
the United States will have the OPP
portunity of passing upon it thru
: their representative in Congress.
At the present time, judging from
newspaper reports, the people of this
country will have but little chance of
expressing themselves. Since we are
represented by professional poll
clans who are almost certain to be
against" anything advocated by one
of the opposite complexion, and 9TH
ers who are subservient to corporate
interests, which have no desire for
the League, it is going to be more
difficult to get the approval of the
United States than it was the approx
al of Europe.
However the matter of the League
is going to stir America from coast
to coast There will be at battle
royal with the great bulk of Ameri-
can citizens on one side and profess
sional politics and corporate greed
on the other. 1t will furnish the
real test as to whether the masses
shall decide the destinies of the ma
ton, or whether those with political
axes to grind, and those with fnan-
cial interest at stake shall rule.
We do not wish to be understood
as meaning that there will be a strict
alignment politically. There are
number of congressman and sena-
tors on the Democratic side who are
just as much interested in political
horse-play and corporation control as
on the Republican side and these are
going to align themselves against the
the President, who we believe repre-
sents the wishes of the people of the
country in this matter.
Ex-President Taft is one of the
ardent supporters of the League, and
his support is going to have lot of
influence with the members of that |
party who look upon Taft as level
headed man.
w. Y. Morgan, one of the most
conservative of Kansas Republican
politicians, is also favorable to the
League, and he, too, is going to prove
a great help in moulding opinion fav-
Orable to its formation.
And while these two men are de-
voting their time to the interests of
the movement William Allen White
IS using up many columns of good
newspaper space knocking the propo-
sition. He calls it Socialistic, Bolshe-
vik, and almost everything else that
he thinks will scare or coerce the peo-
pie. White, it will be remembered,
was one of the fellows who organ
zed the Bull Moose party on a plat
form calling for the initiative, refer
endum and recall and other measures
lar in advance of what the most ard
ent Socialist ever dreamed. And yet,
he is standing up and believing his
read off in opposition to the League
If Nations on no other ground than
hat it is Socialistic.
Mr.. Capper's Topeka Capital is
the League with gloves.
Most of the editorials would lead one
o believe that he is for the League,
md we are of the opinion that he is.
Whatever can be said against Capper
politically, he has been shrewd
enough to divine the wishes of the
majority and line up that way, and
he uses the same judgment in this
natter as in others he will be found
for the League.
But the battle is on. Public SEN ,
iment will play strong part in the ;