French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1919-06-19
THURSDAY, JUNE IS, 1919
KEEPING AT 1T

Republican senator's VI IUS CuSdl
political type are determined to defea
if possible, President Wilson's pro-
nosal to make the League of Nation;
a part of the covenant of peace. The
resolution of Senator Knox, republi-
can, seeks to have the Senate declare
definitely that it will not accept the
e interviewer with the peace
treaty. The vote on the Knox propO-
. sal in the committee on foreign rela-
lions was eight for and seven against,
all democratic members voting in the
) negative. Senator McCumber, repub-
lican, of North Dakota. a league sup
porter, stood by his convictions and
voted with the democrats.
There is a sufficient number of re-
; publicans in the senate to pass the
Knox resolution if they are amind to
take the responsibility of committing
their party to a policy of o~bstructing,
rather than advancing, the progress OF
civilization at a vital period in the
worlds history. W
No one can read the latest state
,ments of some responsible republicans
on the subject of the League of Ma
/ lions without interpreting them ia
: mean a distinct and almost complete
reversal OF their position from one of
uneauivocal rejection to that Of plain,
If somewhat reluctant, acceptance of
President Wilson's proposal and view
point. Knox IS not one of these. He
is not big enough to acknowledge a
mistake and shows a disposition to &C
tually endanger the prospects for a
lasting peace rather than accept terms
proposed by a democratic president,
If opponents of the League haNe
conceived the idea that they are play
ing good politics a rude awakening
awaits them. Numerous and wide
spread tests and analyses of public
opinion have disclosed that President
Wilson was correct in stating an over
whelming majority OF American peo-
pie favor the League of Nations. Re
publican hostility was prompted by
a m-iscalculation of this sentiment
That mistake bred another-the de-
termination to make the covenant OF
the league a partisan issue when il
deserved, and. President Wilson urged
that it be discussed wholly as a ques'
tionxof Americas new external rela'
lions dictated by our participation in
the greatest of wars and by our OBJ
legations and interests as one of the
parties to a permanent peace.
There is no disposition among dem
ocrats and supporters of the Presidenr
to disparage the change Eof epinio1
among republicans who first though
they were against the presidents pro
posaI for a-League of Nations to safe
guard THE peace of the world down
through future ages. abandonment
of their original stand was the part o
wisdom, and friends Of a league ar
quite willing that it shall become ais
the parts f patriotism. Most of thos'
republicans who mistakenly believed
that a League was a~Ydeparture from
our best traditions, a. surrender o
American rights and jurisdiction owe.
matters iof purely internal concern
may now cooperate with Presiden
Wilson, as Mr.. Taft and Senator Nc
Eumber are doing, in establishing tn,
league and a just and lasting peace
They may thus easily merit forgive
ness for their first error of judgmen,
by an evidence of readiness to work &C
cording to their better understanding
To those republicans who persist il
their partisan bias and prejudice, lik,
Lodge, Knox, Borah and a few others
some words of advice might be in or
der-more in sorrow than in anger
by their friends. If by any chance
their opposition defeats the League
of Nations, in the face of the public
demand for it's adoption, they shall
have condemned themselves to enc.
less obloquy; they will have provoked
their deprivation of office and power
and good repute.