Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-03-21

y
session. is nov holding up all the
,leeislatiCn a Republican congress is
prepared to put through, including
all the appropriation bills that failed
IL the recent session.
The 1t bate between Senator Lodge
and President Lowell of Harvard
! University on the question of the
| leagre is 10 be only one of the joint
discussions that will characterize the
campaign. Friends of ex-senator
James hamilton Lewis are urging
MIN to issue a challenge to Sena tor
Borab or Senator Reed--or perhaps
both to talk the thing out from the
same stage with aim.
Involves 1920 Catipaign.
The controversy is becoming more
and more complicated with presiden-
tial politics. Nessrs. Borah and Reed
are both supposed to be seeking the
Republican and Democratic nomina-
lions on an anti-league platform,
which does not jibe at all with the
ideas of other leaders of the two par
ties. However, the talk tests which
these two senators have scheduled
may make factions for them, and both
are sensible of the advantage of
being early in the field.
And yet all this maneuvering may
be in vain. for there are evidences
that the League of Nations may be
eliminated as campaign issue. SEN
ator Hitchcock'c request to Senator
Knox that he tabulate the modifica-
,tions to the league constitution that
would make 1t satisfactory to him is
regarded as the first approach to
bridge building, in spite of Hitch
cocks declaration that this sugges-
ton was solely his own and did not
emanate from the president even re-
motley
There are among the signers to the
Lodge round-robin many who would
ike to have a way opened for them
to escape from their present position
in the event of the country manifest
Ing that the prevailing sentiment is
behind the president So far the let
tiers received by the various senators
who have spoken ON the subject give
very much mixed result.
| While the president gave the i'm
preston in his replies at the White
House dinner that any fundamental
change in the league constitution was
out OF the question, he did not convey
that the door was absolutely closed
against minor changes, and that is an
opening wide enough to let in any
uneasy round robin who might be
frightened off his perch.
Il. .. r. Worried About Borab.
Inc group of Republicans led by
senator Lodge deplore the extreme
position of Mr.. Borah. It is under
stood that Mr.. Lodge would be salts
ned with League of Nations. but il
not willing that President Wilson
should have the credit for the exact
FORM OF the covenant. Most OF tho
Republicans who signed the Lodge
round robin saw to it that they could
1s'i@ately support League" with
out appeasingS to back down. It is
the Wilson League" they oppose
Ine change Of few phrases would
enable those who signed the paper 70
say to their constituents that thew
forced notifications.
Getting aboard the band wagon is
an exact science in congressional tao.
tics and we are likely to see the
League of Nations satisfactory to
practically the whole senate when it
comes time to vote.
Though the administration is quite
aware that the atmosphere is chang
ing from unqualified opposition, its
supporters are not taking and
chances. Breckenridge Long, third
assistant secretary of state, fired the
first gun of the drive the other day
by calling to account Senator Spencer
OF Missouri, In an open letter, which
will probably be followed by other
letters OF the same nature to others
OF the round robin flock.
Longs Opening Shot.
Mr. Long wrote:
Il notice in speech you made not
long ago In Providence you said:
1T the nations represented at the
PCdCc tdulc were 10 agree upon the
simple proposition that no power in
the world should be allowed in the
future to commence war without a
years delay, we should have League
OF Nations to preserve peace, and IL
such an agreement did nothing more.
1t would have accomplished the great
est single piece of international leg
islation that has ever been enacted
In the same speech you also said:
A League of Nations to preserve
peace in the world is SO attractiyely
desirable in the benefcent purpose
which the name itself outlines that if
1t is practicable and honorable it must
be adopted
Il notice further that you sub
tscribed to resolution which is print
ed in the proceedings of the senate of
March last, and which reads:
The constitution of the League
OF Nations in the form now proposed
to the peace conference should not be
accepted by the United States
Points Out Inconsistency.
Senators Boise Penrose, Lodge.