The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-10
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
(The News scImltar Special corre-
s%pondent,O

sponoent')
COLUMBUS, o., April lot may
/ come as a rude shock to the Democratic
managers in Washington, but this self
same state Of Ohio, which insisted on
going Democratic in 1915, n~otwithstand-
ing the Republican proclivity Of its
~neighbors, Pennsylvania and Indiana,
wouldn't elect a Democrat to be Gus
todian of the proverbial pound If there
were an election tomorrow,
Having said ~which-pased upon care
full convass of the disinterested persons
in this hub of Ohio politics who ought
| to know-there may be some conso-
lation for Washington In the further
| statement that, II the issue were the
league Of nations, that proposal would
win by a vote Of almost five to one
Only it isn't going to pc an issue.
Senator Harding, Republican, who
signed the round robin, which news
papers of both parties ADMIT nowadays
Is as dead as Cock Robin, has taken
occasion to point out that the covenant
may come back amenced in such a
way that he will be able to support 1t.
Senator Pomerene, Democrat, ad-
dressed q big meeting OF tho Rotary
club here today, in support of the
league, and made a profound impress
sion. Senator Borah had been here a
week ago, Republicans as well as
Democrats listened to Pomerene's
mon AS they filed out after the meet
ing 1t was plain to observe the com
ments were favorable.
Sentiments Expressed.
Seems to me things can't be any
worse under a league than they have
been without one before"
"You can't prevent all wNr, but you
might as well try to stop as much Of
1t as you can"
"Believe me, anyone who has two
boys over there, as I've got, wants an
end to this war business"
These were some OF the remarks
which n could not help overhearing
In the crowd.
What else are we going to do il
we don't have a Lacquer"
you can't get away from that ar
gument-we've simply got to try it. -
In other words, people, ~hereabouts
fail to see any clear alternative II the
league of nations were rejected, and,
as between the covenant as it came
back from abroad or no league at all,
thee would vote for the covenant sim
ply because they believed 1t to be a
''step in the right direction"
There Is, moreover, a distinct ten
6ency here to look upon President Will
son as an honest exponent of American
foreign policy, and above the suspicion
Of party politics in that respect be-
cause, however pronounced may be the
anti Democratic sentiment in this vi
cinity, and it Is very intense and very
bitter, the plain people, who were &C
customed to feel throughout the wal
that Mr.. Wilson was honestly striving
10 express the true American spirit
have not suddenly lost faith In his con.
scientiousness Of purpose, and they fol.
low him more or less plindly on thai
account.
Indeed, legalisms ana the technica
discussion of the various articles of thu
covenant have somewhat b%efuddled mos
people, and l found few well-read mer
who could remember off-hand what
were the suggestions or Mr., Root o.
Mr.. Knox or even Mr., raft for amend
ment of the covenant, seemingly Their,
is only a desire that some instrument
however imperfect at the beginning
shall be devised to minimize the chance