Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-03
Against the League"


Oxford, Neb., May 30.-To the
Editor of The Bee: If as Wilson
and Hitchcock say, a great majority
| of our people are for the league of
nations, why all this propaganda to
| create public sentiment in favor of
| the senate swallowing it whole with
| out amending it for good, or detach-
ing its blundering errors? The peo-
pie have had a long wait for even
a synopsis Of the peace treaty and
surely it would be wisdom for them
to hold their verdict now until the
official copy is received and discussed
by the senate, which is the constl-
tutional body to pass upon treaties.
Who is furnishing the money to
finance this gigantic press bureau
and gallery speaking tour for the
league of nations?
Why is 1t that every man who
dares to raise his voice to warn his
countrymen of the dangers to our
government that lurk in the league
has to be maligned as reactionary
and a political wire puller, as we'll
as heartless wretch who would
take delight in seeing the world
plunged into future wars? The fact
that the senate was not consulted
and. up to date, has not been fully
advised of all the entangling al
lances Wilson has promised for our
government Is positive proof that the
league is not democratic measure;
that it is neither open nor being
openly arrived at and also that self
determination" Of our people is ad-
journed.
If ever there was a time for our
citizens to keep cool and think clear
and hard, that time is now. 1t is no
small matter to dethrone our con-
stitution, which has stood the test
of war and peace and proved elastic
enough to safeguard our interests,
yet by no right construction does it
sanction establishing a White House
in Paris, nor does it offer one jot of
power for our president or congress
to delegate away our rights to for
eign league. We entered the war for
no such purpose; but instead, to pre-
serve our constitution and redress
the murders committed on our citi-
zens by Germany.
Senator Hitchcock has. deserted
his post of duty at Washington to
go out and manufacture sentiment
among the people that they may
bring pressure on the senate to sup
press their opposition to foreign en-
tanglements. This Is in direct oppo-
sition to the presidents proclama-
ton that it should not be discussed
till it's final terms are known. Hitch
cock declares that the senate will be
forced to ratify the combine, as. the
league and treaty has been so in
terwoven that the senate's refusal to
ratify or attempt to amend will leave
us out in the cold without any
earthly hope of peace. 1t may be a
coincidence. but that corresponds
with the ideas expressed by Wilson
when writing of the presidents lin
tied power in making treaties he ex-
planned how the trick could be
turned in the following words: "The
presidents only power Of compelling
on the part of the senate
lies in his initiative in negotiation,
which offers him chance to get the
country into such scrapes, so pledged
in view of the world to certain
course of action that the senate
hesitates to bring about the ap-
pearance Of dishonor which would
follow it's refusal to ratify the rash
promises or to support the indiscreet
threats Of the secretary of state"
Ts it any wonder that Senator
Borah is alarmed and calls his col
leagues to forget vote-getting and !
stand for the cause of true Amer
icanism?
There is not a man in the United !
States outside the insane asylum who
does not favor our government doing /
al possible to preserve future peace,