Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-17
PRESIDENT AGAIN
CHANGES TACTICS,
LAWRENCE FINDS
No Longer Intimates All
League Critics Are "Amaz-
ingIy Ignorant"
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

EN- ROUTE WITH PRESIDENT
WILSON TO SAN FRANCISCO, Sep
TENDER 17.-President Wilson has
again changed his tactics, or. rather.
he has removed the inference that he
considers all the men who have been
critising the treaty as afflicted with
amazing ignorance"
The President still avows that he
hasn't any respect at all for some Of
the senator's. by which he means
those who plainly wish to defeat the
treaty of peace. but for most OF
them" he has reason to have respect.
he says, and they are just as good
Americans as 1 claim to be-"
Draws Line at Last.
Indeed. the President has at last
drawn the line between the majority
of his opponents in the Senate and
the small minority of irreconcilables.
like the BorahS and the Johnsons and
the Reeds, who are saying the most
bitter things about the President IN
public debate.
Mr.. Wilson has proceeded on the
assumption that, inasmuch as this
element was the most conspicuous,
while the so-called mild reservation
lists were not out on the stump try
ing to beat the treaty. 1t was his
duty to confine his argument to the
group of senators who want to see
the treaty and league altogether dis
rupted.
"Mild" Mems Views.
But evidence accumulates through
editorial expression and otherwlse
that some of the o-called mild reser-
vationists have imagined that Mr..
Wilson was putting them In the same
category as the others
To be sure, Senator Kenyon's pas
sionate outburst just after Mr.. VIII
son visited Iowa was said to be Que
to the remarks of the President about
opposition senators. So Mr.. Wilson
has drawn the line between the men
in the Senate who are friendly to the
league of nations. but are not , YET
without qualifications and reserva-
ton, and the men who are out
spokenly against any league what
Soever.
The Presidents tactics thus far have
been characterized by tendency to
generalize, which some of his friends
have thought upwise and strate g1cal-
ly doubtful. They are better pleased
by his recognition of the conscien-
tious character of those men on the
republican side who no longer say
they want "a league Of nationsr and
not this league" but who fully
recognize that unless the covenant
which is now interviewer in the peace
treaty is taken as a basis for correc-
ton or revision in the future the op-
portunity to get any league OF ma
tons established may go a-Elimmer-
ing.
Throws Aside Passion
The President has incidentally
thrown aside all the passion of par
tisanship- which on past occasions has
embittered the republicans to such an
extent that disinterested observers
have wondered how much this phase
Of the controversy was responsible
for the prolonged discussion and de-
lay. That Mr.. Wilson realizes the
nature of this criticism was apparent
in his Spokane speech, when he said
he hoped no personal bitterness would
stand in the way of an achievement
by America of a great world enter
prise. He sought to deprive himself
of any special share in the making OF
the covenant and gave the leaders OF
the republican party OF past decades
the credit for advancing the idea OF
a world organization.
1t was a welcome note to the many
republicans who feel still some meas
ure of poignant regret at the partisan
character of his election appeal last
fall and the indifference to leading
republicans in his choice of peace
commissioners to go to Paris. But the
Presidents stress on the Constructive
force" Of the republican party made
the deepest impression OF all. for 1t
was only a few years ago that Mr..
Wilson, speaking at a democratic
gathering at indianapolis. upbraided
the republican party for not having
had "a constructive idea in twenty
years."
But the Presidents speeches in the
northwest, wherein he appealed not
merely to the rank and file OF the repub-
lican party to support their own ira
ditions but to petition the republican
senators who favor the treaty with
themselves for what may have been said
or done by the President to wound the
feelings of his political opponents.
Sought to Offset Senator.
Senator McNary. republican. Of
Oregon, is a typical example OF .
senator whose state favors tho
league but whose support of reserva-
tions has not convinced the people
of his constituency that he has any
thing but the friendliest purposes in
mind. Mr.. Wilson's Overtures to that
group are beginning. In the end it
is with that group-composed of re-
publicans and democrats alike-that
he will deal in an effort, doubtless, to
secure agreement on as few reserva-
tions as will not give America spe-
vations as will not give America "spe-
cial exemptions" or put America on
an exceptional footing" e."
Such course Mr.. Wilson fears
might cause other nations to want
special advantages and exemptions,
and the whole structure of the league
might then crumble, but. unless the
program of the mild reservationists
undergoes radical changes, ii is quite
likely that Mr.. Wilson's utterances in
Oregon meant that he is ready to
tions, even if they are embodied in
the ratifying resolution, for clearly
they would not be binding on other
powers If placed elsewhere in a Sem
ate joint resolution or declaration Of
the executive.
As to Irreconcilables.
AS for the frreconcilables. whose
object is to beat the treaty. the Pres
ident is today in California, where
Hiram Johnson holds forth. Chester
Rowell, progressive party leader and
national committeeman, who owns q
newspaper in Fresno, is an intimate
friend of Senator Johnson, and sup
ported the latter stanchly in his last
Campaign, but his newspaper favors
the league. and he himself Is to pre-
side at the Wilson meeting at san
Francisco So 1t may be inferred that
California progressives are divided,
and that Senator Johnson and Presi-
dent Wilson will fight their real battle
before the people Of this state.
Copyright, 1881 w.
virginia's coolest Man" Dies.
HARRIsoNBURG. Va. September
17-Alhert Long. 100 years old, for.