Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-05
Thirty-sovcn Observation-Disclosures


\Y/HEN President Wilson sailed on his first
w trip to the peace conference he left
| country divided as to the wisdom Of his
unprecedented undertaking. That division
was not along party lines Democrats as
well as Republicans held diverse views as
to the practicability and advisability of his
Journey and personal participation in the
European councils. Regardless OF opposing
sentiment. he went to Europe, and by the
magnificent results he achieved there he has
slenced criticism except that which comes
from partisan sources.
Today President Wilson again sails for
Europe, where he will give the best Of his
marvellous efforts to complete the work that
no already has well under way. Again he
departs from country divided But how
different it is from the division following his
former voyage! Today there is no sentiment
hostlle TO- his purpose to journey abroad
there is no clamor that he remain in the
White House, there are no presidents the
breaking Of which will disturb the conserva-
tiVes, and, almost to man, his pa rty is back
OF him in its loyal active support. Not SO
the Republicans. They have refused to con-
slider the proposed league of nations a
national, nonpartisan question. They DELHI
erately have made it a party issue, and as
such they are attempting by false and in
sidious propaganda, to line up the country
against it. They have abandoned all motives
or patriotism in their consideration of the
plan whereby the Paris conference hopes to
assure the world OF permanent peace, and
on the undisputed basis of party expediency
they are fighting for it's defeat. Lodge and
his fellow political leaders claim that already
they have pledged thirtyseven Senators to
vote against the world league, and if those
pledges are kept it will mean its failure, so
ia no MT
without the support Of the United States the
league might we'll be dropped now and
the old dscredited system of alliances, so
fruitful OF war, again resorted TO-.
Thus President Wilson goes back to the
peace conference with his strength greatly
reduced, thanks to the unprincpled, unpa-
triotic political campaign that Lodge has
made against him. He will go before the
conferees knowing that sufficient pledges
have been secured in the Senate by his
enemies to defeat any plan to which he may
commit himself. France. England. Italy, all
the nations, now know that the United States,
as represented by it's Senate, has not stood
back OF its President, and what they do not
know and cannot understand is that the SEN
ate is not truly representative OF the people,
and in the end the people will say what will
and what will not be accepted. Consequently,
his position in the conference is weakened,
in the eyes Of those who fail to understand
Americas peculiar political system he is in
measure at least discredited and a cloud
is cast upon his superb leadership. That
is what Lodge and his party-blinded fol-
lowers have accomplished in the closing days
Of Congress. That is how they have repaid
the supreme sacrifice made by more than
$4,000 American soldiers in France; that
measures the depths to which they are willing
to go in the struggle for party supremacy
in 1920.
Republican opposition in the Senate has
placed the President in an embarrassing posi-
ton but it will not deter him or cause him
TO slacken his efforts to secure for the United
States and the world the best possible plan
of society of nations, and when the final
draft has been completed he will lay it
before the American people for their &C
ceptance or rejection. Then the Republican
Senate will discover how the people regard
its program Of obstruction, and it may find
that in betraying a nation for political adj
vantage at the price OF its peace il has com
mitted political suicide. There is little doubt
that majority OF the American people favor
Wilson's PLAN and when the more than O.
eager for its contamination that never again
may they be asked TO offer themselves on the
sacriicial altar OF war, the sentiment will be
so overwhelming that even Republican Sen
ate will not dare disregard the popular man
date. In the end tho victory will be with
Wilson