Evening journal., 1919-11-28

Senator Lodge has declared squarely
that he wishes to lay the great issue
Of natiOnalism or internatlOnalism, OF
constitutional government o? alien
supergOvernment, before the American
people for decision lie wishes 10 car
~ the league covenant which President
Wilson has ben insisting upon 10 the
last cross Of a "t' and the last dot OF
an 81" together with the league cove
nant as safeguarded for American inter-
ests by the reservations the Senate
adopted, into the Presidential campaign
of 1920 and TO let the great and ,inal
tribunal decide between the two pro-
pOsals.
This Is a legitimate appeal TO the
sovereign arbiters Of national policy. IL
is The only form OF refe endum possible
In the case. The sole way In which the
pepole OF the United States can register
their adherence TO the revolutionary
scheme for which President Wilson Is
responsible, or register their approval
OF the course Of the patriotic Senators
i'm rejecting that scheme, Is TO make the
question the foremost issue In an cleo
ton In which the whole Republic par
llclpates; and such an opportunity Is
fortunately near at hand.
II after a full study Of the tremen-
dous interests and portentous conse-
quences involved in the adventure pro-
posed by President Wilson the Amer
lean people should decide that they de-
sire 10 undertake 10. 10 might still be
necessary 10 change our present Con
stiution IN some particulars in order
10 give effect TO their decision TO FOL
low President Wilson along the mighty
hard road 10 Utopia. Nevertheless, ne
would have received his mandate-the
mandate he does not yet possess-and
the matter Of formal and technical
20 make the fundamental
law NJ the new programme would be
a minor consideration. The referendum
would have been had, the hnal verdict
would have been rendered.
We should think this proposal by
senator Lodge ought 10 be welcomed
with alacrlty by President Wilson, ana
that IL ought likewise 10 be exceedingly
acceptable to Tray, Blanche ana
sweetheart. A national vote favorable
10 his plan OF supergovernment would
assure TO him the popular support
which he claimed without warrant 70
possess from the very first moment
that he set foot on Europe's soil. lie
could have accomplished nothing IN
England. nothing at Paris, nothing win
regard 90 italy, to Japan, even 10 any OF
the little tribal nations that had pre-
viouslv emerged from Colonel Houses
nroliflc eccaleobion, had not the states
men and the people Of Europe believed
him when he told them that he had
como as the spokesman Of the Amer
ican neople. bearing from them
message which he had no option but
IN deliver. a mandate with specific IN
siructions which he dared not leave un-
~. g..
n is perfectly obvious now that 10
,be falsitv OF that initial assumption
and 10 the bogus character OF those ere.
dentlals Is due the frightful loss oi
credit and prestige in Europe Wllch
president Wilson has suffered since ne
sailod fo-th on the George Washington
geiy weeks ago. The history OF the
worlds great affairs since the dawn o,
civilization scarcely affords q paraIel
10 the reverse in public estiinatloi,
which the President has eXperlehceu
abroad as the inevitable sequel 10 the
discovery that he did not speak for the
American Government, did not represent
with authority the opinions ana de-
slres Of the American people. we 40
not care 10 dwell upon this aspect OF
fho business. as affecting him person
allv in his position as a world ignre.
Now. the proposal Of Senator Lodse
N carry ihe league question into the
presidential campaign next year, ana
thus 10 obtain for the project What
win be virtually a referendum vote
presents the only method by which Mr.
Wilson can certify his earlier state
ments about American opinion ana mus
yind'cate his own attitude with regard
10 the matter. 70 Is not necessary 10
induire whether the Presidents false
assumption OF authority 10 speak Tor
America was conscious or unconscious
instrumentation, self-deception, or
otherwise. The result was the same,
and The unenviable responsibility with
which the pages Of history are sure TO
charge President Wilson VIII be the
same whether he misrepnesented
through unchecked optimism. or too
credulous self-assurance, or miscalcu-
lated adroitness. The Sun repeats that
Il thinks no man on earth ought to be
more eager than p esldent Wilson for
the dennitive test which Senator Lodge
proposes-that is, unless he has now
lost faith in the existence OF that
popular backing for his league upon
which he has so obstlnately insisted.
What we have said here about the
President himself applies with equal