The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-04-03
Ia pIea For American Unity
 An Cummings at Hartford, L.

party Intentionally placing obstacles in the way of a League of Nations will survive long enough to outlive
 the memory of such an offense against humanity and civilization.
 It would rid Senator McLean's
 mind of an obscuring cloud if he could purge himself of the animosity which he feels toward the President. Such distempers make clear reason ing difficult I think I 10 the Senator no injustice in so stating, for l ob- serve that he suggests that people ought to .''resent the autocratic and perilous orders of an infiamed ego" I assume that the Senator refers to President Wilson. I submit that such language, even if parliamentary and permissible, serves no useful purpose and is not calculated to advance any worthy cause. The Senatorial disposi- ton to shoot at the President while his back is turned, and while he is engaged in the most difficult and inn portant international negotiations of all time, does not commend itself to l ones sense of fairness.
 In the course of his statement, Senator Mclean propounds this over whelming question, namely, "Is MT. Cummings in favor of conferring upon aliens the right and power to | involve us in war, regardless of the wishes of Congress and the American people?" The interrogatory is inter- | esting but not relevant. No one has | any such purpose. If Senator Me 1 Lean means to imply that the propos- | ed league, as he says, takes the | power to declare War away from the American people and confers it upon 1 ., +,,:F I,;, {1 read the document again before re- | pesting any such preposterous non | sense. If he still harbors the idea | that the proposed covenant involves any such drastic departure from | American principles, I suggest that l he read with care the analysis made 1 of the proposed league by ME. Hughes | and by MT. Root. Both of these gen | tlemen have suggested changes in the | league and have submitted it to a
 searching analysis. Curiously enough, | neither one of them has found in the l document the defect which Senator | Mclean imagines it contains. If Sen ! ator Mclean nevertheless insists that 1 the proposed covenant is subject to | the criticism he has made, I submit | that it is his duty to call the matter
 to the attention of both MT. Hughes l 1 speak again upon the matter, they will not overlook so fatal a defect
 l Senator Mclean seems to think that i I have been unjust in asserting that 1 the Republican f1Iibuster which char 1 acteriZed the closing days of the last
 session of Congress, prevented the l passage of much needed legislation.
 I asserted that amongst the bills so | destroyed were the Leasing Bill, the l Homestead Bill, the appropriati tions
 necessary for dem civilization, the bill providing for an army of 50o,ooo men; 1 the Water Power Bill, and the ap- propriation of S750, 100000 required for the proper operation of the rail-
 roads and many other essential meas
 ures. I repeat the assertion. I am ! Justified in so doing by the confession | which Senator Mclean has made of
 its truth. In speaking of this matter, i Senator Mclean said, "The RepubIi-
 can Senators felt that the gaturnalia | of extravaganza that had been in | vogue for three years should be | stopped" The Senator does not deny
 the truth of the charge which I have ! made. He seeks only to justify 1t. | The Justification. however, is faulty.
 If the gross extravagance which he ! claims has been going on for three
 years, 1t was clearly the duty of Re- | publican Senators to have stopped 1t
 long ago rather than to reserve their activities to a few days just prior to l adjournment. The bills were all well understood. They had passed the House and the Senate was only await ing the submission of conference re-
 ports. Every Senator who had prop erly attended to the duties of his of al ah0Y1t fha hilla and ~nw l prepared 10 vote one way or the other upon them. It was an open secret
 that all of the bills would have bean