Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-02-12
Results of Federal Supervision
Past Year Disgust Opposi-
ton; Even Democrats Luke
Warm on Issue, Especially
Southern Solons.
NATION LEAGUE SORE SPOT
Republicans at Variance on
Wilson World Peace Scheme;
Borah Bitterly Opposed to
Plan Which, He Says, Perils
Americas Foundation.
Capital News Special service.)

(Capital News Special Service.)
Washington. Feb. 12.-Just what will
be the big issue between the Repub-
Hcan and the Democratic parties in
tho campaign OF 1920 is difficult to
forecast at this time. One party is
divided about as much as the other on
the large issues before the country, as
Tor example, on the domestic question
OF government ownership and the in
ternational problem Of league of ma
lions.
Most OF the western Democrats and
some northern Democrats favor gov
eminent ownership Of railroads. tele-
graphs and telephones, but southern
Democrats are almost a unit against
any form OF public ownership. The
Republicans almost as whole are
thought to be lining up against public
ownership, their forces being consid-
erably augmented lately by a great
many Republicans formerly favorable
to this form of paternalism who are
disguised by the results of government
control of railroads since December sc,
1917.
@. o. p. RANKS SPLIT.
But the worst breach is on the
league of nations. There are many
Democrats who do not subscribe to
that plan, but the bulk of them are
willing to follow Mr. Wilson's leader
ship. In the Republican party there
Is an irreconcilable difference on this
Issue. 1t unquestionably was the idea
of some of the leading Republicans
when this plan was first preached by
President Wilson that it should be
made the issue between the two par
ties but those who hoped to make this
the issue, placing the Republican party
against a league and making their
slogan, "AmeriCanism vs. information
alism," have met with severe disap-
pointment. In the first place, Colonel
Roosevelt whom they had depended
upon the lead public opinion against
a league Of nations. died before he had
definitely placed himself on that uucs-
ton. Many Republican newspapers
have Endorsed the Wilson league and
former President Taft is telling the
country every day that such an asso-
citation Of nations is the cure-all for
war for all time to come.
BoRAH AND KNOX LEADERS.
lhlS mas left Senator Borah of Idaho
and Senator Knox OF Pennsylvania as
the two champions of the opposition
to the Wilson league, with many Re-
publicans nom committal. Undoubted-
ly, former Senator Jonathan Bourne Jr.
of Oregon is one of those who believes
that the issue should to some extent
be that of Amcricanism versus Inter-
nationalism, because in a statement
given out by him as president of the
Republican Publicity association, he
says:
1T is fortunate for the future of tho
American republic that the issues be-
tween the Republican and Democratic
parties have become clearly defined
upon vital fundamental principles of
government. Not since the issue was
drawn upon the question of the indis-
solubility OF the Union has there been
presented Il more clearly defined or
more important issue than that pre-
scented today. The Democratic partv