Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-05
membered as peculiarly serVicabl

M which opened Monday will be re
membered as peculiarly sewicable
or peculiarly ingIorous is vet to be deter
mined But there is doubt Of its being pc
culiariy important. Not even in the midst OF
the wal. did America or the world lace prob
lens more momentOus than those now con-
fronting. Senate and the House at WASH
ingtOn. In some respects indeed the present
situation is graver and certainly more dill
ficult than any in our war experience For
now we have the burdens OF that time with
out it's inspirations We have high taxes anu
high living costs. but 10 daily urge OF nero
ism from Saint Niihel and the Argonne. Our
soldiers have won the fight against Prus-
sianism but our Senators have failed thus
lar to consummate that blOod-bought victory
with a compact of guaranteed peace so IL
is that the nation finds itself. more than
tWelvemGnth after the armlStlce, SJ!H IN
state OF war and troubled with deep ankle
ties A wear ago we were looking hopefully
forward never doubling that ere another
Yuletide came there would be peace indeed
on earth and goodwill among men loudy
we can but look regretfully backward over
long months wasted in partisan blckerlng'
and beseech Congress TO forget It's polIucS
and look to the country's critical needs.
There is not phase or field of our ma
tonal life left uninVOlyed. Foreign and do
mestic affairs alike have reached a. pass
where statesmanly action must be taken and
taken Speedily. if the future is to be made Sc
cure. We are not referring so much to the
Mexican matter OF to the coal situation as to
that general dubiety which overhangs our
foreign relationships and our economic trend
Europe is at loss to know what we are 60
ing to do, just as we ourselves are. The
nations with whom we stood in the wars
deadly breach and who expected our sup
porting influence in the unsteady times en-
suing, what cheer do they now receive from
this quarter of the world? They know that
10 far
peace treaty which is designed to keep the
worlds moral and material forces organized
against aggressive war. They know that
while the President and most of the Senate
Democrats, together with a goodly number
of Republicans are earnestly for peace
conserving League of Nations, nevertheless a
prejudiced faction has blocked the way to
Americas taking up her rightful part in such
a League. Little wonder that our friends
across the sea look with deep diSquiet upon
the many symptoms of unrest and pray that
the reassuring hand of the great republic of
the west may not be denied to civilization in
this crucial hour. Dependable observers
amongst our own countrymen, like
Herbert Hoover, who have studied the Eu-
ropean situation at first hand, tell us unhes-
itatingly that there must be an effective
League of Nations or there will be anarchy
without practicable limit end 1t is now
for the Senate to say what Americas part
in this grim alternative shall be. And unless
a statesman1y answer comes soon, it may be
too late.
Inextricably bound up with these interna-
t1onal problems are those of a domestic ma
ture. We cannot expect economic conditions
to grow normal while the vast issues of
peace and war remain unsettled. We cannot
expect gertrude and tranquil mindedness
while it is still doubtful whether our Gov
eminent is to join with the defenders OF
freedom in a common covenant or is to ig-
more them and make separate terms with
Germany. So long as such matters are in
suspense the world will continue uneasy and
our country as a part of the world, cannot
escape the consequence IT, then, Congress
in its newly opened session wishes to exert
assuring influence, if it wishes to clear
the way for effective dealing with the divers
econ omic questions that press for an an
swer, if it wishes to serve the great interests
of the American public instead Of
the little ambitions of politics. let it pro
coed without more delay to put interna-
tional affairs in order as far as statesman
sonable reservations to the peace treaty
months. Let both Houses put pride Of opinion
behind them and buckle loyalty to the tasks
of constructive legislation
If this is done, the present session will
pass into history of saving service.
Otherwise, it will go down a black ex-
ample of recreance and folly. The people OF
the United States stand ready to do their
part in this momentous hour Of their own
and the worlds affairs. 1t remains only for
Congress to do it's part. Our national re-
sources are as rich ever and our national
character as stalwart May our national leg
islatOrs prove worthy of their charge.