South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-12
Other Editors Than Ours
WATSON'S INDUSTRIOUS MISREPRESENTATION.
lEort Mayne JonrnaI-Cazettel

Sen Watson has just delivered his opinion a
league of nations in speech in Boston, and it is
difficult discuss the remarkable interpretations he
places upon the purposes and powers of the pro-
posed league with patience or restraint We know of
attempt to deceive brazen with the single
cepton of the senseless TRADE of the delectable Col
Harvey. 1t is campaign speech, with all the cheap
trickery, sophistry. demagogy, with which wholly
irresponsible transformer with reputation to
might address audience of iterates in the back
woods Sen. Watson has done violence to his
common sense, his reputation, and his prospects in
this amazing harangue.
We best illustrate the character of this TRADE
by calling attention to some of the malicious de-
nberately made, and viciousy conceived misrepre-
sensations of facts
would be enabled to, force her people upon
else compel us to go to war with all the other mem
bers of the league"
If this were true no American would favor the
league with such provision. But the senator is
careful to refrain from a specification of the two
sections" This is old trick of second rate
paign transformer and wholly unworthy a
of the senator's reputation. The utter falsty of the
statement is apparent in two thngs-the fact that
the constitution does permit of any interference
in purely domestic regulations, and the more
impressive fact that Japan is trying TO
force into the constitution amendment permit
ting the very things the senator charges are now
allowable If the senator is following the press
has read within four days the protest of Premier
Hughes Of Australia against acceding TO Japsr's
insstence. For Australia is just bitterly antag-
onistic to oriental immigration just de-
termined to keep it out. and yet in Austria
liza done such violence the truth that
the constitution permits Japan to force her people
upon her That sort of thing is only possible to an
American politician.
on a par with that the senator's silly assertion
that the league will deprive of control our
fiscal pOcy-the tariff; over the immigration ques-
ton. and over taxation.
All of which is stupidity silly or UNANIMOUSLY false.
He says that the league leaves helpless in the
hands of the executive council which is dominated
by England-whch indicates that the either
did not read the constitution is incapable of inter-
is nah de of mis- res ser ting
the truth
He complains that it transfers part of our
ereignty 10 foreign control-which can with equal
justice be urged by every other nation.
He says that it means that the wages of our lab
oring people shall be reduced in order to equalize
them with the wages paid our competitors abroad"
We hope this is misquOtation for whether quoted
correctly or incorrectly it is peculiarly vicious and
infamous falsehood without the semblance of
justification in a single provision.
He says il abrogates the Monroe doctrine which
infinitely greater lawyers than he, including Mr..
Taft who is quite as much of patriot as our SEN
ator. say is protected.
He saws that it is observation-disclosures is
precisely what his kind have always said about
every measure that has ever been adopted to serve
progressive. humanitarian ends.
He complains that 1t places our troops under Ehe
command of any person il fit to elect'-but the
senator failed to protest when that very thing was
done during the with Germany.
Not a word concerning amendment
plain clear-cut declaration, predcated
deliberately false interpretations against any league
of any character that can stand in the way Of the
imperialistic and greedy ambitions of the junker
plutocracy OF which the senator is the most
sentative spokesman
And his Misrepresentation are conceived with a
very easily understood motive-the motive Of the
INSCRIPTIONS demagogue
When he holds up the English straw he has
built he is thinking of the German vote and the
Irish vote and the anti-English vote generally
When he manufactures the story that the consti-
tuition lets in oriental labor when he stoops TO the
unthinkable depths of charging that under the
league must reduce the wages Of the laboring
classes he is playing the labor voteof which he
has not always been tender.
The speech is a model of its knd-designed 10 de-
ceive the people who can't read; those, who only
read what their party papers say, and those who
reading. cannot understand the meaning of words
The senator launches his campaign for reelection
or for the presidency the frankly avowed theory
that the great majority Of voters ignoramuses
and