Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-05-07
LODGES POLITICAL SABOTAGE.


at Versailles and the Italian Govern
ment was putting in jeopardy the
whole issue of peace, Senator Lodge
was sending kilograms to various in
dividuals and societies in Boston up
holding the Italian claim to Fiume and
assailing the position taken by the
President of the United States.
Senator Lodge knows nothing about
the Fiume question, as the text of his
telegram conclusively proves. But as
the Republican leader of the Senate
and the Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Relations, the fact that Presi-
dent Wilson, together with the British
Prime Minister and the French Prem
Ter, had refused to accede to the Ital-
ian demands was enough to bring him
into the controversy as champion of
Orlando and Sonnin0.
This is simply political sabotage.
There is no other term for It. The
senator from Massachusetts, is apply
ling to grave international issue the
ulcLuUuS VI Lie i. w. w. dAu
them against his own government.
AS measure of the standards of
public morality set up by Senator
Lodge we need refer to only one state
ment in his telegram. "As to Fiume, If
Italy is of the opinion that it is neces-
sary to her safety and for her pro-
lection that she should hold Fiume, /
am clearly of the opinion that 1t should
be hers" What matters it il the an
nexati6n Of Fiume by Italy CIT 2O,-
100000 other people off from the sea
and would be the signal for another
European war to complete the wreck
Of civilization? If Italy wants some
thing that never belonged to Italy, if
Italy wants something that was de-
MED to Italy even by the secret Treaty
Of London, If Italy wants something
that cannot be granted without again
destroying the peace of the world,
Italy must have it because Mr.. Wilson
thinks Italy should not have it That
is Lodge logic.
It is needless to say that if this
theory is to prevail we should not be
debating peace to Germany. We
should be apologizing to Germany and
paying her indemnities for the wrongs
that we have done to her. The Lodge
justification OF the Italian demands Is
the body and soul Of Germany's justi-
fication of everything that, autocracy
has done since Aug. 1, 1914. Germany
was Of the opinion that war was "nec-
lessary for her safety and for her pro-
lection" Germany was Of the opinion
that the invasion Of Belgium was ''nec-
essary for her safety and for her pro-
lection" Germany was OF the opin-
ion that the violation Of all interna-
tional law and the ruthless use Of sub
marines was necessary for her safety
and for her protection" On that basis
Germany had just as good a case as
Italy, and Senator Lodge should have
upheld her instead of voting to make
war against her.
The Lodge doctrine means q return
to the law OF the jungle, in which
everybody is to seize whatever he
wants and whatever he thinks he
can hold. It implies every
thing against which the free nations
have poured out their blood and treas
ure.
But the Lodge sabotage did not stop
even with this affirmation of the polit-
ical morality of Junkerdum At the
same time the telegram uphc,ding the
Italian Government against PresidentjI
Wilson was middle public the Senator
sent cut other kilograms declaring that
it is obvious" that the covenant Of
the League of Nations will require
further amendments" What these
are, or the nature of
them, he did not say. The Peace Con-
ference had done its work, the COW
enant had been adopted unanimously,
the German ENJOYS had assembled to
discuss the treaty of peace, and the
leader Of the Senate there
upon proclaimed his intention to undo
what had been done with so much eff
fort. That is what the Lodge amend
ments mean if they mean anything.
To say that this is partisanship
gone mad would be moderate. No
more venomous spirit Of rule-or-ruin
has been manifested in Washington
since the Southern Senators in the
winter of 1860 and 1861 declared that
secession was the only answer to the
election of Abraham Lincoln. In the
hope of discredting President Wilson,
Senator Lodge is apparently willing |
to destroy the moral influence of the
United States throughout the world,
wreck the treaty of peace and plunge
civilization into chaos.
It is unthinkable that majority OF
the Republican Senators are prepared
to follow such fanatical leadership.
There must be limits somewhere to
this partisan fury.
Foolish Hope.