The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-03-28
NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION
OPPOSES LEAGUE OF NATIONS
As Presented to Senators By President
When Here--FamOus Democratic
Editor Selected for President.

Washington, March 25-(Special
Correspondence)-Noting that the
president is reported to be in favor of
a non-partisan discussion of the league
of nations Senators Poindexter and
Borah, republicans, Senator Reed,
democrat, and Mr.. George Wharton
Pepper, lawyer of Philadelphia, have
drawn preliminary plans for the for
nation of a national non-partisan or
ganization to oppose the acceptance Of
the constitution of the league of ma
tions as now written. To further en-
phasize the non-political character of
the new association, Henry Waiter
son, former publisher of the Louisville
Courier Journal, and leading demo-
crat, has been chosen president. 1t is
said that many senators who have
voiced their opposition to the league
will join with the organizers of the
anti-league forces in opposing its
adoption.
1t is announced that a statement
soon will be issued outlining the pur-
poses of the organization, one of which
will be the coordination of the local
bodies thruout the country that have
been formed to combat the league.
Speakers bureaus probably will be es-
tablished, and an intensive campaign
of publicity conducted, designed to off
set the enormous amount of pro-league
propaganda that is being circulated
among the people. Altho it is un-
derstood there is no agreement on the
subject the suggestion has been made
to send representatives to Paris during
the progress of the peace negotia-
tions. Headquarters of the organiza-
ton probably will be established in
New York, and voluntary contribu-
tions will be relied on to supports its
activities.
While the republicans have taken
the lead in opposition to the presi-
dents proposed league, they welcome
to their ranks in this crisis all men of
every party who put their American
ism above political considerations. AL
ready democrats thruout the country,
like many of the leaders of that party
in the senate, have refused to follow
the president into the international
chaos where he proposes to lead US,
and have boldly joined with the repub-
licans in steadfastly refusing to dc
sert the principles that have brought
this nation to the commanding posi-
ton she now holds among the coun-
tries of the world.
Men like Senator Reed of Missouri,
Col. Harvey of Havey's Weekly, Col.
Watterson, and other leaders who have
contributed to the political strength of
the Democratic party, have not hesi-
tated to subscribe to the doctrine of
"America first" and are now bending
their every energy to defeat the sin
lister schemes of their erstwhile party
leader. They, with the republicans,
believe that all that is necessary to
prevent our institutions from the taint
of internationalism is to call the at
tention of the people to the provisions
of the leagues constitution and the in
evitable destructive effect its adop-
ton will have upon our form of gov
ernment. To that end the new pub
licity organization has been formed,
with the certain knowledge that as
soon as the people are aware of its
purposes they will eagerly appeal to it
for authoritative and non-partisan in
formation regarding the most mo-
mentous question with which they
ever have been confronted