Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-11-27
THE LEAGUE is DEAD

On March 4, 1919, the Republican
| Publicity Association issued state
ment in which IL was asserted that
| the British-Wilsonian league of ma
| tions is dead" The basis of that
declaration was the resolution sign
ed by 80 Republican senators of the
new congress, and read to the sem
ate that day, to the effect that "the
constitution of the league of nations
in the form now proposed TO the
peace conference should not be ac-
cepted by the United States" The
signers of that document constitut-
ing more than third of the senate;
it was no spirit of idle prophesy that
prompted the assertion that "the
league is dead" Its truth has been
established in the drastic reserva-
lions adopted by the senate, which
leave only a shell of the covenant
that sought to rob America of her
liberties.
But the act of the 80 Republicans
was but the elimination of a nation
al awakening TO the dangers which
a league of nations would bring up
on the country. Ever since the
president had incorporated the idea
of a league in his Fourteen Points
of January s, 1918 discerning minds
had been turned in that direction.
The first note of public warning of
what impended was sounded by SEN
ator Miles Poindexter of Washing
ton in a speech in the senate on No
vember 18th, by a coincidence al
most exactly year previous to the
time the covenant was stripped of its
fatal provision by Poindexter and
his Republican colleagues. In that
speech the senator voiced the con-
viction that, If this country should
become member of the league, "the
| United States will have surrendered
its birthright; il will have given up
the spirit as well as the fact of its
sovereignty.
The impression created through
out the country by Mr.. Poindexter's
appeal to Americanism was immedi-
ate and profound Citizens general
| ly had been inclined to look upon a
league of nations as some nebulous
| power that was to come and drive
war from the earth. They began to
realize that insteadof preventing war
for the United States the league
would have the effect OF drawing
| this country into every world quar-
rel, as we'll as substituting the die
tation of foreign tribunal for the
independence of action that we had
enjoyed so long.
On December 18th and March LIST
| Senator Knox; on February 21st
| Senator Borah; on February 26th
Senator Cummins; on February 28th
Senators Lodge, Lenroot and FIRE.
| linghuysen; and on March 8 Senat-
| ors Sherman and Spencer-all en-
phasied the warnings delivered by
| Mr. Poindexter. On March 4th the
wave of indignation against the
| league had crystallized into the sign
| ed statement of the 80 Republican
senators referred to.
From that moment until the final
| vote was taken on the treaty the OPP
| position of the Republicans of the
| senate to any surrender of Ameri-
can sovereignty has been adamant.
| Arrayed against them In an effort to
| undermine the inherent patriotism
| of America has been every resource
| at the command of the administra-
| ton. Through the League to En-
p! force Peace, headed, be IL said with
| shame, by a Republican ex-presi-
dent, hugs sums of money have been
collected and expended in the most
gigantic propaganda campaign ever
conceived But through the storm
of misrepresentation and denuncia-
tion the Republicans of the senate,
and the principles which they were
protecting, have emerged victorious.
The people of the country have fol-
lowed the struggle with absorbing
attention; they have carefully noted
to what party the champions of their
rights belong; and at the elections
next year will hasten to express their
gratitude in practical and decisive
| way.