Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-05
BY CLINTON w. GILBERT

staK Correspondent of the Evening Public Ledger
Washington, Aug. 5.
(WHICH American energy is devoted to
w getting away with it, and keeping
the other fellow from getting away with it,?
These two occupations are engaging the cap
ital now. Wilson is trying to get away
with it, with the league of nations. The Re
publicans are trying to keep him from getting
away-with it. The issue is big. 1t is some
thing more than winning the election OF
1920.
1t may even be that the fate Of the league
Of nations is less important to the country
than the question whether we shall get
back to our American institutions as they
were before the war perverted them and
before strong personalities in the executive
chair began to dwarf Congress. Republicans
talk hopefully of returning to the old fash
ioned type of Presidents. men like Mckin-
lev. on whom public attention did not espe-
cially focus and who did not seek to re-
duce Congress to a subordinate role.
The temptation to find Il man with vote
getting qualities may cause the Republicans
Mt convention time to forget their present
good resolutions. But the issue is real
onc-Shall Congress be ordinate body
or q mere tame cat of the Executive!
Republicans and the League
So true is this that it may be more i'm
nortapt to defeat the autocratic tendencies
in the American government as exempllhed
nv Wilson than to organize the world into
league. But the Republicans generally don't
like the issue in just that form. They evil
IDENTIFY think it is dangerous. They prefer
to accent the league, somewhat modified, and
then ask the country to reject Wisconsin.
Their policy appears to be to criticize the
league severely. to modify it so far as pos
sible by making reservations, to destroy its
credit with the public as much as possible. to
minimize Wilson, achievement as far as they
can. while avoiding the political peril of re-
iecting the league outright.
II is delicate politics. On the one side, il
they attack the covenant Of nations strongly
enough they may be asked why they have not
the courage to vote against it. And when
thew finally vote for it they run the risk of
having the country ignore their reservations
and Judge of its merits by the fact that it
was accepted by it's political opponents.
1t is hard to accept another mans meas
| ure. even with reluctance, without paying
tribute to him.
An Embarrassing Position
| The 'RepuDllchh haJorlty III Aohsress 10
| an embarrassment to the party. 1t has the
| responsibility of acting upon the treaty. 1t
cannot maintain its position of pure opposi
tiop. Its hands are tied with respect to the
| treaty No one in possession of his senses
would commend its rejection.
| The Senate might accept the treaty with
ont bettering the policies of Mr.. Wilson if il
| were not for the covenant. The covenant
| ia Mr.. Wilson. French gesticulatior
against it, English support carefully pre-
sented as support of the American Presi
| dent have made the covenant personal tc
Mr.. Wilson. And now Republican party
politics in the Senate is deepening thil
impression.
| If the senators felt free to reject it that
might be excellent politics But they. don't
4 All they can do Is to gesticulate against 1t
Can they make gestures strong enough 10 d,