South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-24

- of the majority party IN the senate nave
to the American people out thu
League of Nations issue; weary them into quiet
submission to letting the Paris peace treaty go by
the boards. Propagandists IN the lead Of that
movement, employing the senate floor as their
footstOol and their official rank as their authority
"a system in comparison with which Germany
propaganda at its cleverest was amateurish, -
know the great American weakness.
That we travel by airpIanes now to beat the
Twentieth Century Lniteds and the high power
automobiles; that every new day has its fad; that
everything IS passing show" that We are too
busy getting rich-or warding off starvation-to
think for long on any other particular subject;
that stick-to-itive-ness Is a secondary considera-
ton save when solidarity serves a more nmedi-
ate monetary or partisan purpose; these are ali
indicative of people, highly nervous, and sub
jet to brain-fag-alwavs the first by which the
new Is tried, and yet the last to cast the old aside
Last year. to swim the war; was our particular
excitement; willing to do anything and
everything, for the moment-to keep on twin
ming the war"
The year before it was getting into the war,
talkative point-and the year before that it was
a contest between she kept US out of war" and
IL would have too, only would have done it in
the Rooseveltian instead of the Wilsonian way"
Still back beyond that, the sinking of the Lusi-
tania and the piundering Of Belgium KEEP. our
spirits up-but to return to the present this year
broke loose with damnation of the presidents
fourteen points" swallowed whole during the
previous exciting days. this followed by much
ravng against the presidents trip to Europe, and
against League of Nations, now eliminating to
defeat the Paris peace treaty, with some particu-
lar reference to the Shantung proviso-and pre-
tense of great love for the "chinks'
We travelling at a rapid gait in the passing
of great massive problems in these latter days
even to including now snapshot solutions of the
high cost of living"
Scarce one of US but could have settled all
these things long ago-by mere wave of the
hand, Notwithstanding that it taxed the limit of
our ingenuities to anticipate the means with
which to buy Victory bond.
We might not have known what we were set
Ting, but sure we would have settled it; too
there has been too much delay,"-and now
though all the other powers have finished the job
the United States senate stands alone in prolong-
alton of the agony, seemingly hoping for the
eventual support of that tired American feeling
which too often after first fluSh wants to throw
up its hands and grasp for the next straw.
IL
NH yes! We're great speed-artistS we Ameri-
~ cans are. Anything to get everything over
with. IL Is to hard to think-more than once on
any one subject Delay as defensive strategy is
typically American. The principle of thing is
not half so important with the most of us, as is
having it over with; fundamental principles and
funny-bones are dumped into the same category.
Could the Paris conference have said, '1et
there be peace treaty with league of nations
In it," and had it said it from the tongues of GER
tain political gentlemen that settling it, it would
have been quite satisfactory to the average Amer
lean, difference how brainless the arrange
ment,-but the senate foreign relations commit
tee Is saying, 'let there not be a peace treaty
with league of nations" and well, you know the
number of your acquaintance who always take
their final cue from the last man they talk to-"
Such are the type of Americans-the shifty,
side and then the other, back and forth as
the conversation proceeds-upon whom the
treaty opponents now depending for their
ultimate backing; hoping to tire them into sub
mission with 'watchful waiting"
The psychological appeal is magnificent one,
managing far possible to keep their opposition
daily before the people, utilizing official posi-
tons and from thence the columns of the press;
appealing to prejudice, appealing to hate, appeal
ing to tradition, yea, indeed, appealing to false
hood when thought essential to the overthrow of