The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-05-16
"ROUND ROBIN" HAS
SPLIT REPUBLICANS
AND THE RIFT IS WIDE

Washington, ID ,t'-lihc shS'oh'
Goul. as described by Caesar. the rcpup'
lican party lis divided into three parts
These divisions, growing NOSE ups
tlnct and discordant. have been causeu
by the senatorial round robin which
sought To make n partisan Issue OF the
league of nations. on the eve OF their
assumption of control In the Legislative
branch of the government, the repup
licans find not only the rank ana me
but the leaders OF their party, In tfree
camps.
BY far the largest group of republi
cans are those who favor the establish'
ment of the league of nations ana ihe
ratification of the covenant submitted
by President Wilson. 1t so happehs'
also. that the leaders of this contingent
are among the most notable OF fepup'
icans. Former President Taft Is It's
chief spokesman
second faction, much weakers IN
numbers and leadership than the ilrst'
advocates the league and the adoption
of the covenant with an amendment or
reservation, just TO save exceptions
but with no serious purpose Of defer
ring the formal approval Of the treaty
of peace.
The smallest OF all the elements OF
opposition, but the mosS vocferous,
perhaps. IL that which would reject the
league and the treaty, too, rather than
concede the slightest credit 10 Presi'
dent Wilson for his efforts to prevent
war
Now Fear Consequences
Sensing the danger Of bringing the
ratification Of the treaty and the cove
nant into the political forum the very
senatorS who adopted that plan, ana
furthered it by example and uterance,
are now pretending that the whole
question will he considered in the sen
ate. not as a partisan issue, but as u
purely national and international pol
icy. Senator Lodge, author of the
round robin is now commencing
almos, commanding ON the
part of his republican associates as
the best guarantee Of their political
safety.
This change from open hostility to
sembance Of statesmanlike attitude OF
calm discussion is due of course, not so
much to what these senators have heard
from President Wilson as to what they
have learned from their own republican
constituents. For they have discovered
that if they seek to lead republican
attack on the league. a vast majority
of their party viii not follow.
Without undertaking to assert what
motives now actuate Senator Lodge and
his fellow robins" it is nevertheless
fair to assume that they are contem-
plating u course which will save their
faces by permitting them to give the .
impression, without incurling any OF
the consequences, Of outright opposi- ,
ton to the league. 1t appears to be .
their design TO add by way of resolu
ton, some amendment or Interpretation I
that will neitler help nor hurt the cove
nant, but which will salve their feelings
and save their faces.
Course Difficult
This tack, it is apparent, is intended
to steer the republican bark between .
the Scya of relentness hostility-rep-
resented in the persons of Senator 30
rah, Senator Sherman and Senator
PoindeXteI-and the Charybdis of com
plete unequivocal and immediate ac-
ceptance of the treaty and the cove
nant-the desire of a large majority
Of republicans.
The thlrty-nine senatorial robins"
endeavored 10 lead their party in a
fight against President wilson and
for partisan advantage--and more than
half of its members declined to follow
Some scheme to preserve their stand
ing as captains Of the republican host
They could not make their party fol-
low them in their path of opposition
ana they We're unwilling TO follow
their party in its evident desire to ac-
cept President Wilson's proposals So
they have blown the trumpets and set
off in new direction-almost paral-
leing the road-President Wilson and
the democratic party have been travel
ing--ln the hope that they can marshal
at least half their fellows behind them.
1t is not the covenant but the round
robin" that is soon to be repudiated
and rejected Dy republican senators.
They are still willing to make the
league an issue upon which to conduct
the next presidential campaign. They
still dislike President Wilson and envy
his success at the peace conference.
They are still eager to retain their
places in the senate and their positions
in their party. But they cannot ge:
the support OF their own rank and
file.
Republicans Lost Opportunity
Ultimately ratification Of the treaty
OF peace anu approval of the covenant
OF the league OF nations will leave the
republican senators without credit for
any part in accomplishing the greatest ,
labor in history. Their first criticism
and obstruction will remain as an evi-
dence of their partisanshp. They can ,
make no use of the league as an issue ,
without condemning those republicans ,
including a former president OF the
United States and a conspicuous mem ,
Der of their party-by whom il was :
espoused from the beginning. They
can expect no co operation from the
great mass of the people-repubican
or democrats. =
Thus the round robin is likely 10
go down in political history as u roster |
Of men who We're neither great pa
u'iots nor great strategists. Far from
being Second Declaration of Inde.
pendence" 1t may figure in the nexe
campaign as an Fundamentally their
own republican asSSociateS-of these
.t.,..r. ...l.,