The Washington times., 1919-03-15
DEMOCRATS DEFY HAYS
TO TELL PARTY'S STAND
ON LEAGUE OF NATIONS

NEW YORK, March ia challenge
to Will H. fE9ays, chairman Of the Re-
publican National Committee, to place
his party on record with respect to
the League of Nations, was issued
here tonight by Homer S. Cummings,
chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, in an address at dinner
in his honor at the National Demo
cratic Club.
Others speakers included Josephus
Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, and
Gov. Alfred =. Smith, of New York.
'T had hoped, and still hope" said
Mr.. Cummings, that this great
League of Nations project will not
become a partisan question. Is there
any reason why Mr.. Hays should not
Put his party on record in this mat
ter, So that the League Of Nations
may have the support of both po-
ificaI parties and Of all forward
looking citizens generally?
He will be in good company. for
he will find himself supported by Mr.
Taft, Mr. Wickersham. former Sena-
tor Burton, and President Lowell, of
Harvard, and last, but not least, by
Mr.. Hughes-With Mr.. Root still to
b. heard from. 1t is safer leadership
than that Of Senators Lodge, Penrose
and Knox"
Attacks Unusual Methods.
Mr.. Cummings launched a vigorous
attack upon the Republican leaders
for what he termed their unusual
efforts during the, last two or three
years to regain mastery of the ma
ehfnery OF Government"
''To this purpose" he asserted,
"they have brought all their inge--
nuity, have sumomned all their re-
Soureefulness, have magnified beyond
all reason minor errors Of judgment
in the conduct Of the great war, have
mobilized the forces of irritation and
discomfort and have made tacit con-
cessions TO certain elements, which
to say the least, show tendencies to-
ward open sedition. It is so unholy
Alliance and cannot prevail.
when Congress adjourned on March
4, an open hlibuster against Npenofng
legislation was still in progress. The
Senate abdicated~ its functions. de-
clined to consider the most pressing
of national needs and wasted precious
moments in violent political abuse and
vehement opposition to the League
Of Nations.
Thinks Heads "SweIIed.7
$50 intent have the Republican
leaders been upon their purpose that
they have been betrayed into all sorts
of indiscretions. Their moderate
triumph Of November, 1918, has gone
to their heads. The mere prospect
Of control has already thrown them
into confusion
@Ever since the war began in EU-
rope in 1914. our ears have been vex-
ed by the wild cries Of the opposi-
tion, proclaimtng a superior brand
Of patriotism, and now at the very
first sign Of a return to partial au-
thority, the leaders Of the Republican
patty in the Senate have placed them
selves in opposition to a League of
Nations and the leaders in the House
Of Representatives have selected for
floor leader Congressman Mondell of
Wyoming, who voted against the tab
ling of the McLemore resolution and
opposed the selective draft law. Sem
6tor Penrose is to be chairman Of the
great Senate Committee on Finance
and the reactiOnaries are debating
the policy of the party"
RecOunts War Records.
Mr.. Cummings then recounted the
war records Of Republicans who nave
been selected for various chairman
ships in the House Of Representatives
in the next Congress.
1T is a pitiful conclusion" he as
serted, |'to a campaign based upon
such ardent promise. 1t is a nextraor-
dinary thing that those who are loud
est for war seem to me most deter
mined that America snail reIinquish
the duties which have fallen to her
lot as a result of the war.
THE idea Of a league Of nations is
not difficult to understand. The plain
people understand il. Only learned
Senators were confused about it Let
US not be disturbed by the action OF
the dissenting Senators. They are en-
gagged in the most ungenerous task in /
history, and their objections are writ |
ten in sand"
Secretary Daniels declared in his |
address that he was curious to know |
Just what evidence would conYin,e |