The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-11-14

Cummings, Chairman Democratic Ma
tional Committee.
/ TF 'ovenant Of the League of Ma
tic 'ome one Of thegreat facts
Il is embodied in the treaty
Boe.4 adoh. d by Great Britain, and
France, and except for a formal actof
filing, adopted also by Italy. The rati
fication by three or more Of the great
powers makes the treaty an existing
fact Of history. Japan will shortly
ratify, and the remaining twenty-eight
signatories are taking the preliminary
stepts to indicate their acquiescence
in this settlement Of the world war.
| Is America alone to stand out a.
gainst this world settlement? Is Ameri
ca alone of all the civilized nations
Of the world to refuse her assent to
the terms of the treaty and place her.
self in opposition to her former allies
and friends? Is American honor
which was held so high on the fields of
dACCs " OO Tx llCu III IAO ouoe pO-
cause one-third of the Senate( blind
ed by prejudice or inflamed by malice
would prefer to thwart the purpose Of
the administration, even if it involv-
ed humiliating America in the sight
Of the world? Has this alternative, to
which Republican leadership would
guide us, been fully understood? 1t
is astonishing that the Republican
leader in the Senate, Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts, should attempt to pur
sue any such policy ofreckless folly.
Partisans Cannot Prevail
Are we not justified in asserting
that the present opposition is based
upon partisan motives and disregard
of American honor? l have too much
confidence in the sence of justice and
the essential sanity of the American
people to believe, for a moment, that
they will permit partisanship or per-
sonal prejudice of humanity which the |
world has ever known.
Senator Borah, in discussing the
proposed League, has not erred upon
The side of conservatism in statement.
N the course of recent address, he I
said: 1T is the most gigantic scheme
or an uncontrolled and uncomfortable
lutocracy that was ever submitted to
free people," Somehow the words
eemed familiar And so / turn back
he pages of our history for $50 years
nd came upon the time when our
were discussing the es- ,
ablishment of the Constitution of the !,
United States. There were gloomy
rophets in those days, and one of
ur discouraged ancestors was so ap-
allied by the proposed Constitution
lat he said: at is fragrant, audac-
JUS conspiracy against the liberties
a free people"
Senator Borah's Prototypes
The parallel is complete. Senator
orah is in mental company with
lose who dreaded the adoption of the
institution of the United States. One .
our pessimistic forefathers used :
is expression: | see it entails
on my posterity, slavery
/ my children Another said: at Il
a monster. 1t originates in mystery "
ID must terminate in despotion.'
nd again: " The evil genius of dark -
.ss presided at its birth" One hectic =
lagination evolved this: Darkness, -
Iplicity and studied ambiguity run q
ng through the whole" Another said
IS it now stands, but very few in -
viduals do or ever will understand '"
-. - of
And yet American constitutional
erty dated from it, Americas great
IS began with it, Americas destiny :.
8 been safely guided through all
ese years under its term. 1t carries
tn it the benediction of Washington -
d Franklin. Like the Declaration
Independence, it lies at the founda- I,
n of our greatness and SO, in the
VS. to come when the history of
other generation is written, the OPP
1ents of the League of Nations will :
remembered, if they are remember
at all, as ungenerous critics of
ited vision who, in period of
at difficulty, sought to embarrass
, Of the worlds greatest leaders
placed obstacles in the path of =.
progress of the world toward
ice and settled justice.