The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-07-15
TUESDAY, JULY Is, 1919.
JOHNSON SIZED UP.

The cvclonic orator from the Pacific
coast, Senator Johnson of California,
having left new England, the press is
beginning to size up the real work of
this fiery opponent of the league of ma
tions. The Springfield Union, Republi-
can, makes the following comment on
his appearance and statements in that
city
Senator johnson cannot produce a
single line from the covenant of the
league of nations to back up his asser
ton There is not word in it that
guarantees all existing conditions for
ever or even for one year. 1t guaran
tees nations. members of the league.
against "external aggression, but
nothing in it prevents a change of
boundaries by the consent of any two
nations; nothing in it prevents a change
in the form of government so long as
the nation preserves its independence;
nothing it in prevents the league of ma
tions through its council or assembly
from setting up Independent states or
even combining states. if the people so
desire, or making any change demanded
by new conditions or by human prog
rCss. provided it is not done belliger-
emily by the aggression of one nation
upon another There is nothing what
ever in the covenant to warrant the as
sertion that Americans will be pledged
TO place their sons under foreign com
mand to fight in foreign lands, for the
covenant leaves it TO the government of
the United States, as of every state, to
determine whether its own obligation
exists No American army can move
abroad without the consent of congress-
indeed, without an appropriation from
congress.
Senator Johnson's assertions have lit
tie or no value for those intelligent
enough or interested enough to read the
whole text of the covenant and to
trace its obligations and limitations
That sort of thing even from the lips of
a senator is not going to break down a
public conviction of the necessity of in
ternatlOnal cooperation to prevent Ger
many from winning this war and to pre-
vent any nation from starting another
No one claims that the covenant is
perfect; no one claims with certainty
that it is workable. 1t represents only
the beginning of human effort to meet
great human desire. 1t is the mere
foundation for international co-opera-
| ton and comfy in behalf of peace and
justice and free government. It's per
manence and its success must depend
upon the spirit of the nations cove
nanting, and the further development
Of their common purpose in the high
| objects of civilization. 1t is q means ia
an end that without such means could
not be attained; an effort for an
achievement that without the effort
would not be possible. To east this con
vlction out of the minds of men. Sena.
tor Johnson must bring some other mes
sage than the charge that advocates of
such an effort are either ignorant OF
| false.
| Editor Hindley of the Rutland Her
aid was more impressed with the person
atty of Senator Johnson. He saws of
his appearance in Burlington
SO Hiram Johnson s speech is notable
! % as forensic effort, and (2) as in.
dicating what the opponents of the
| league of nations actually intend to dc
IN opposition. johnson, at least. in.
tends TO fight it to the end, and if his
attitude is weak, or wabbling O,
pussy footing" then, according to his
own words, he is ''not fit to be an
American =
Johnson plays eleverly on the patriot
ie string, the string of racial and ma
tional prejudice, and his sarcasm and
satire at his finger s ends
This sketchy outline gives good
idea of Johnson s stuff, but they do not
! convey the strength, speed and power
of the orator. In some ways, he is
more of wonder than T. R.
We conclude from the above excerpts