The sun., 1919-03-18

would hang them on a gibbet as high as
heaven, but In the other direction. and
that he 1oathed their pigmy minds.
These arguments, trust. will impress
you conformably 10 their merit
This fetciIes US to the sole prominent
Republican so far committed to the
great idea-our old friend. Mr.. Taft.
Now ] would like nothing better than
TO take what the President calls COM
mon counsel with you. gentlemen. some
Iof whom / suspect may be Republi-
cans. concerning the peculiar attitude
and diversified reasoning of our amiable
ex-President. There has been some
speculation as TO how he came 10 get
into this particular gallery. ...r
Some thought he gave a fairly clear
indication when he warned his fellow
Republicans IN Washington TO get on the
band wagon. but this did not strike me
as convincing. / would not dream of
suggesting that Mr.. Taft might again be
seeking political prefcrment Neither. I
have to confess. did I regard him as an
expert on band wagons. The last one
that he drove himself was Of the air
plane type. II started, as ] recall. in
Vermont and did not even touch the high
spots until IT landed in Utah and got
stuck in Salt Lake.
this: Just as Mr.. wHs9n appropriated
the fourteen commandments and the
accepted covenant from the British. SO
did he appropriate the league from his
predecessor. He stands before the world
"a its original prepayment but, as a matter
OF fact. Mr.. Taft was both its father and
its godfather. and when the President
gave 1t tho backing OF his great author
ny. Mr' TAN found himself in the posi-
ton OF the man WHO had the bear by
the tail. He couldn't let go. That Is
now. in my opinion, he came to be chief
defender Of the Wilsonvelian faith,
I'm any case that is the position in
which We find him now and they do say
that he may again become a candidate
for the Presidency. though whether up
on the Democratic or the Republican
ticket there seems to be some doubt
Personally. although not nm habitual
gambler. | would wager at least one big
red apple that II he is to become a
nominee it will not be as Republican.
Taft Sees n New Light.
"Pgrhaps YOU haze read all that Mr..
Iaft mas said and written upon this sub
,ect' FRANKLY have not have to al
low ome Tor three meals day and eight
hours OF sleep and these necessities have
all that has appeared from his tongue
and pen. / have grasped enough, how
ever TO realize that. in the art of twist
ing and turning and backing and filling,
he mas become past grand master
rake, for example, the latest exhibit
tlon' ! had the great pleasure Of listen
ing to Mr., Taft's calculation of tho cove
nant at the meeting In the Metro.olitan
Opera House and heard him declare un-
equivocally in conclusion that 1t had TO
be In the treaty and Is indispensable in
ending this war And heard the Presl-
dent graciously and gratefully pronounce
mis- exposition so admirable that it was
not necessary for him 10 add a word !;
thus fully justifying the Presidents
chief newspaper supporter, the World,
In saying on the following morning:
In this unqualified Endorsement of
Mr., Tafts speech Mr.. Wilson made
the Taft Interpretation his own, gave
10 1t the same official status as his
own speech and assumed full respon-
sibility for the Taft arguments.
Gan that seemed quite clear. The col
liberation in both purpose and method
was perfect.
what then was my amazemont and
horror only three days later TO discover
that Mr.. Taft had seen n new light! The
George Washington or the !. w. W. or
whatever the great ship is now called
was hardly out OF sight Of land when
the exPresident published quite con.
trary version OF his views
Instead Of giving this covensnt-the
only covenant, mind you. In considera-
ton at the great meeting--his unauali-
,Ssd ind2yseusDt % The great delight Of
DSN2<0 ~~14ladSxM
edly tho covenant needs revision>thHrl
II was not 'symmetricaAg arranged (;