Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-09-24
HOKE PLAYING WITH FIRE.

HUME FLAIlNG VIII II FlNE.
Senator Hoke Smith has disappointed large per-
centage of the people of Georgia againor rather dis
appointed those who still believed in him. but run
to the expectations of those who whether for good
cause or not, had lost faith in him. The Senator an
that he has definitely lined up with the Lodge
crowd of opponents of the League of Nations He
doesn't say he is willing to go far Lodge and the
extremist foes of the president but he admits he be-
longs to their opposition organization-that they can
depend upon him.
Senator Smith, however honest he may be in his
convictions that the treaty should be amended or pass
ed with reservations, is playing with fire. 1t isn't so
many months ago that the whole state resounded with
the cry of traitor and pro- German against Hoke Smith
the result of his tactics in the Senate in opposing
certain phases of the presidents program and as
result of his earlier attacks upon the British blockade
of Germany which he wished to break down The
Times Recorder defended Senator Smith at that time
ii believed that he had made mistake-an honest mis-
takeand that his Americansm should not be attacked
for being traitor own country is the worst
OF crimes, At the time, however, it was reaiz-
ed that all the while Senator Smith was playing direct
y into the hands of Germany and for that reason his
conduct and attitude in the Senate were actually dan
to the welfare of the counry-possiby as much
so as if he had really knowingly assisted the enemy
Today Senator Smith is playing again into the
hands of the enemy Germany still has chance of
winning the war, she precpitate quarrel among
her conquerors Nobody knows this better than Sen
ator Smith should know it. And now he announces in
Washington that he preparing program of reserva-
tons, acceptance of which by Great Britain France
Italy and Japan would be required before American
ratification of the treaty shall be completed.
Some of US in Georgia, who come little or none in
contact with the foreign element of the nations popu
laton, may belittle the statement that the German
settled district of country bitterest against
President Wilson and the League of Nations The
writer recently visited the Middle West where this is
the case. President Wilson, who has Just traversec
this continent says he has located the source of the
chief opposition-and those who have visited the
try the president has passed through have learned the
soundness of his conclusions.
The Associated Press quotes the President at Og
den, Utah, last evening as follows:
There are some men in public life who do not
seem to be in touch with the heart of the people,
but those who are, know how that heart throbs
deep and strong for this great enterprise of human
ity, for it is nothing less than that.
1--WE must set purpose in very definite
way to assist the judgment of public men. l do
not mean in any way to enlighten and assist that
judgment; for am convinced, after crossing the
continent, that there is of doubt that eighty
per cent of the people of the United States are
for the League of Nations, and that the chief op-
position comes from the very disquietng element
that We had to deal with before and during the
war.
"All the elements that tended towards dis
loyalty against the League and for a very
good reason; If this League is not adopted, we
will serve Germanys purpose because we will be
associated from the nations and am afraid per-
manently ASSOCIATED from the nations, with whom
co-operated in defeating German"
Senator Smith is again disappointing those who
trust him, and confirming the doubts of those who
damn him by his attitude at this critical time It will
be hard for him to down the charge of pro-German-
ism this time if he persists in the stand he is taking