South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-01
PRIEST WILSON, THE LEAGUE OF
NATIONS, THE RIGHT AND WRONG
OF IT, AND THIRD TERM HERESY

a
i BY Democratic National Chairman Homer s
Cummings. and others. predicated the possible
failure Of the United states senate to ratify the
peace treaty and approve the League Of Nations. is
getting 10 be almost as "chesJnutty" of the
performances OF Republican National Chairman
VIII Hays
Only one excuse can possibly exist for the pres-
dent ever accepting another nomination at least,
as 1t might be viewed from this distance.
That excuse would be that the democratic party
is so hard I'd for leadership that st could find
other: this and the fact that many democratic
politicians have the habit OF running for congress
and the senate not their merits. but by
hanging onto the Wilson coat-tail that they are
let loose
Hanging onto the Wilson kite preserved for the
president democratic congress in 1914, and along
with his reelection retained It again in 1916 but
by 1918 the support that had been Civ
en- him had been so poorly constructed, and Of so
much dead weight in consequence, that even per
sonal appeal from the executive unable 10
save the needed party majority The defeat only
slight along party lines but there still democrats
in congress upon whom the president depend
scarcely more than he can upon a great many
pubicans still others were left a home last fall
who would have been scarcely better had they been
reelected; who secretly been opponents Of his
policies hghting them In the committees, though
voting loud for them when beaten behind the doors
and brought into the open. An, yes. they hung
tight to the presidents kite during the campaign.
but the electorate less luckily, dealt them
their due We need not look far from home TO locate
OF them.
II isn't necessary that Prest Wilson become
third term candidate If the senate does force
the German peace treaty and the League of Ma
vK-to, -,
turns from France he will have done all that he
DO officially with reference to those documents; that
is all that he car do save shed light upon the de-
sra biity adoption. His reelection in 1920
would not ratify the treaty confirm the league,
save in sentiment for that is his job. II is
senatorial job and the thing for democrats to do
is to talk about senatorial timber and get out and
ind some. The contest belongs the senatorial
race Pres't Wilson has done his work and done il
we'll. II the people don't want it. let the country
junk it and take the consequences The president
has carried practically the whole burden of the
democratic party and much % the burden OF his
country. on his shoulders quite long enough. He
wants relief and he deserves H.
Furthermore the League OF Nations isn't of
necessity right just the president is for
nor because ne led the campaign in its behalf in
the international fight. It would have been right.
4 right at all even had been against The
league idea and the league covenants, are right
they wrong and this regardless of his attitude.
II right the subject it is the league
is right This fool idea OF so many Americans that
abstract principle is right wrong. because OF
some personality associated with it, whom they may
or may not like. is credit to the Americans who
indulge it. It applies those who against the
league Just because the president $ it, just as
effectively those who for it for other
reason than because he is Cor IT, All the league
needs maintain itself with the American people
is a reasonable use OF their brain power and less
unreasonable use OF their partisan prejudices and
political peeves.
And in consequence. anticipate that if the
League OF Nations. becomes an issue next year. it
will out TO be a sort OF independent issue and
why make ex-Pres't Taft the leader II ought
not 20 a partisan issue and we doubt very much
II it will be- urgently as certain ant-administra-
ton senators are pressing IT, If the treaty is
ratified. and the League Of Nations confirmed.
one may look ticket in the field we believe
backed by the League 20 Enforce Peace OF which
eN-Prest Taft is the head and which has been
backing the president in his peace negotiations.
very non-partsanly. periodically. and deyotedly
Why not? The League OF Nations is too important
affair to be made partisan football
Prest Wilson has had all the honor there is in
being president United states and viii go
down in history OF its three greatest presi-
dents-in some respects the greatest of the three:
not perhaps that he is the greater but because
OF the greater momentousness of the problems
with which ne has been confronted. He doesn't
IT 20 the democratic party 10 slave through an
other campaign, another four years that its poll
ticians may have him 10 hide behind and he
doesn't owe another four years 10 the country in
presidential capacity Had the war not ended or
should hostlites he resumed. there might be excuse
in that for his accepting third term-not TO trade
horses in the middle of a stream but that prob
ability Is an past Let the democratic leaders give
attention the senatorial congressional timber
for the next campaign on the merits of thu ti,ho