Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-18
PRESIDENT AGAIN
CHANGES TACTICS
Removes Inference That All Who
Criticize Treaty Are Afflicted
with "Amazing Ignorance"
by DAVID LAURENCE
(Copyrighted)

EN-, ROUTE WITH PRESIDENT
WILSON TO SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. II.
President Wilson has again changed
his tactics, or rather he has removed
the Inference that he considers all the
men who have been criticizing the
treaty as afflicted with Amazing ig-
norance." The President still avows that
he hasn't any respect at all for some
of the senators. 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 / claim to be-"
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 making the most noise
and saying the most bitter things about
the President in public debate. Mr.
Wilson has proceeded on the assump
ton that inasmuch as this element was
the most conspicuous while the So
called mild reservationists were not
out on the stump trying to beat the
treaty, IL was his duty to conflne his
argument to the group of senators who
want to see the treaty and league alto
gether disrupted
But evidence accumuiates through edi-
torial expression and otherwise that some
of the so-called mild reservationists have
imagined that Mr.. Wilson was putting
them in the same category as the others.
To be sure, Senator kcnyon's passionate
outburst just after Mr.. Wilson visited Iowa
was said to be due to the remarks of the
President about opposition senators. So
"a "a ha he ba
men in the Senate who are friendly to
the League of Nations, but are not yet
convinced that it should be adopted with
out qualifications and reservation and the
men who are outSpoken against any
league whatsoever. The Presidents tao
tics thus far had been characterized by
tendency to generalize. which some of
his friends have thought unwse and
strategically doubtful. They are better
pleased by his recognition of the conscen
tious character Of those men on the re-
publican side who no longer say they
want League Of Nations" and not this
league" but who fully recognize that
unless the covenant which Is now inter-
woven in the peace treaty Is taken as a
basis for correction or revision in the fu-
ture. for the opportunity to get any
league of nations established may go a.
glimmering.
The President has incidentally thrown
aside all the passion of partisanship
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 dis
cusson and delay. 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 achieve
ment 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 welcome note
to the many republicans, who feel still
some measure of poignant regret at the
partisan character of his election appeal
last fall and the Indifference to leading
republicans in his choice of peace COM
missioners to go to Paris. But the Presi-
dents stress on the Constructive force"
OF the Republican party made the deep
est 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 20
years" One might think the President
dislikes to be called inconsistent. Per-
haps he does. But he also doesn't hes-
tate ito get right" II he thinks he is
wrong. And he unhestatingly admits
upon occasion the error of his ways.
Don't let facts get you," is the advice
he has been giving his audiences. Ap-
piled to things Wilsonian, ii merely
means admit your mistakes when you are
convinced you are mistaken. The diff
Guilty that most critics have is convincing
the President that he is really mistaken.
because persistence has often proved
him right
But the Presidents speeches in the
Northwest. wherein he appealed not mere
~ to the rank and fi,e of the Republican
party to support their own traditions but
to petition the republican senators who
favor the treaty with reservations which
are apologies in themselves for what
may have been said or done by the Pres
ident to wound the feelings of his politi-
cal opponents.
II hope" he said at Portland, "you will
not construe anything that say as indi-
eating the least lack Of respect for the
men who are criticising any portion of
this treaty. l must say frankly that |
haven't any respect at al for some of
them, lsit for others, and for most of
them. have reason to have respect, for
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