Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-05-23
The OLD AND The NEW.
New York TimeS.)

tAdl ny lHSlT 10 Tie Hull-
her of thirty-seven or more they de-
clared the League to be unacceptable,
was pardonable blunder. They
were bent upon framing an issue
against President Wilson. their par
~, was in desperate need Of an issue.
and their zeal in the search for one
betrayed them into misjudgment.
But that they should fail to sound
high the note of triumph when the
Paris Council accepted so many Of
their amendments. when the changes
suggested by Senator Lodge, by Sen
ator Knox. by eX-President Taft and
Mr.. Root were made in the document,
then they should not proclaim it to
be a sound Republican League of Ma
lions and trumpet it forth to the four
quarters Of the heavens that they
had saved the Constitution, the Mon
roe Doctrine and our sovereignty,
that was a blunder for which there
is no discoverable palliation. They
missed the way to salvation. they OBJ
Stinately refused to set their feet in
the path that would have led them
out of a dangerous and impossible po-
sition, for it had been made plain that
the people of the country welcome
and demand the League of Nations
as an assurance against war. Public
opinion will force the Republican
Senate to ratify the Treaty. with
which the League of Nations Con-
stitution is interviewer. The vote
of ratification which might have
been made party triumph will now
be given under that compulsion.
For the leaders of great party
to read the signs of the time and to
ascertain the currents Of public
thought calls for no great wisdom.
Had Senator Lodge possessed even
that modicum of political sagacity
he would never have called a mora
forum on the expression Of opinion
about the League, he would have
wasted no time in calling a confer
ence, he would at once have declared
that the party could support the cove
nant practically made it's own by the
acceptance of 50 many amendments
from high Republican authority. That
was party blunder but ii was some
thing worse. 1t was an exhibition OF
shortness of view and pettiness OF
spirit. These Republican Senators
lave failed to understand that this is
Il great moment in the history of the
world. II was an occasion when they
might have stirred up some nobility
of thought, when they might have
yielded to the higher impulses of pa
triotism; they cose to let themselves
be gitided by narrow considerations
of party exigency. They are still
thinking of the Presidential election
Of
vantage in making contest against
an Administration which has been
charged with responsibility for the
American part y in great and
successful war eliminating in a vic
tory that has changed the face OF the
world. TIE Republicans had their
share in that achievement. BY their
behavior now the leaders are pre-
pairing to throw away their title to
further praise.
1t would seem to be an occasion for
all Americans to rise above the
strifes of party and share in the
pride Of the great position TO which
this country has come among the ma
tons Beyond question we should be
proud Of the distinguished service
that the President of the United
States has been able to render to all
the world. 10 the cause Of civilization
IN the work he has done at Paris. He
has held place among the very
first in the difficult negotiations; he
has formulated principles Of justice;
by his disinterestedness since Amer
lea seeks no gain from the victory
save that gain in which all the world
shares, he has been able to urge with
firmness the application Of sound
principles of law and of right to the
adjustment of the many conflicts of
interest which have arisen. He has
not achieved a triumph in every case,
he has not been able to bring it about
that every settlement should conform
TO strict principle. There have been
compromises, but in these he has
shown practical craftsmanship, for he
has surmOunted dangerous obstacles.
in one or two instances waving his
personal beliefs and preferences, TO
the end that the speedy conclusion Of
peace be not endangered. MIR. Will
son has won the confidence Of the
peoples Of the nations whose inter
ests are involved in the peace settle
ment, he has the high respect Of the
statesmen who have labored with him
at Paris. 1t is strange, it is extraor-
binary, 1t calls for explanation, that
in his own country alone he encoun-
tiers organized and bitter opposition.
The explanation is that the Re-
publican leaders are still possessed
of the old spirit. That Democrats
should hold high Offices they still re-
gard as an unforgiveable offense