The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-07-04
GOOD WORK, WELL DONE.

GOOD WORK, WELL DONE.
The senate has done we'll. After
the wind, the earthquake and the fire
comes the still small voice of patriotic
judgment. Seldom in al 1.-The history
of that body has there been so fine a
passage as that which has just re-
corded the successful campaign of
reason over passion, of patriotism
over partisanship, of American ma
tionality over denationalizing fads.
The triumphant turning point in the
great conflict was Senator Knox's
resolution and his masterful speech
in its support advising the divorce
ment of extraneous and incongruous
matter from the treaty of peace, and
indicating with unerring logic and the
force of great authority the way to
peace without sacrifice Of American
independence or the compromising of
those principles upon which our ma
tional tranquility and integrity de-
pend. His action in that matter will
henceforth rank among the epcchal
public services which have been rem
dered in great crises by members of
the senior chamber of the national
legislature. How deep was the i'm
preston which he made md how hard
hit were those who fatuously sought
to barter our national birthright for
mess of alien pottage appeared ~
the agitation which was reused in
the administration ranks aud in the
partisan press the storm Of wind and
earthquake and fire, raging against
the resolution and its supporters.
Happily it appeared also in the prompt
and increasingly strong response
r~hich was given by the citizenry of
America, without regard to party
Seldom has any comparable PROPOSE
ticn so quivocally and overwhelm-
ingly commanded public favor. Never
has one more fully merited it.
If anything were needed to compile
ment and to confirm the proposition
of Senator Knox it was supplied in ex-
Senator Roots mastery analysis of
the situation and his unqualified sup
port of the resolution and its pur-
pose. The three chief grounds of OBJ
lection to the league covenant were
restated with convincing force, and
with the added reminder, too greatly
overlooked, of the incompatibility be-
tween our composite population and
any policy of universal meddling in |
the affairs of the world. 1t was a |
startling reminder that more than one
third of the people of the United
States are of alien birth or alien par
entage. 1--WE can call upon these peo-
ple," said Mr.. Root, ITO stand by
America in all American quarrels;
but how can we control their sympa-
thies and their action if America in
terferes in foreign quarrels and takes
sides in these quarrels against the
to which they are attached
by tradition and sentiment"
There is no question that the ma
jority of the senate would at once
have stood firmly behind Senator
Knox and his wise and statesmanlike
resolution; and that the people of the
nation would have stood behind the
of the senate. Moreover,
Senator Knox was entitled to de-
mand precedence for his resolution
N senatorial consideration and action
as matter of the highest possible
personal privilege, but
patriotic. Doubtless he would have
lone so had he been a man of less
nagnanimity and of less comprehen-
tive vision. AS it was he realized that
he best interests of the nation, which
we're what he supremacy cared for,
would be best served by another
course. 1t was So highly desirable as
20 be almost imperative that the great
appropriation bills and other urgent
business which had been so scanda-
ously neglected by the absentee ad-
and its former subserv-
ent congress, should be properly dis
posed of before the end Of the fiscal
year. Congress should do its duty to
The business of the country, no matter
who else might neglect and shirk it.