The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-06-26
HE OVERPLAYED HIS HAND
SOlilOquy of the War Demon While
Republican Convention Was
Pulling OFF It's Stunts
(Wm. E. Russell, Akron, Ohio)


At Washington, D. C.-At time
when President Wilson presented the
treaty to the Senate for ratification.
War Demon (gloomily)-I don't like
this League of Nations idea; it's a
menace to my life, must kill it; but
| must use machiavellian diplomacy,
for everybody seems to want it. Ny
hypnotic powers must be brought to
bear upon the senators from those
states most benefited by me. l will
also hypnotic several presidential
aspirants.
At Chicago, June 8, 1920
War Demon (cheerfully)-Much
pleased with the Lodge tactics that
have shelved the league and allowed
my influence in Europe to continue
That hypnotic suggestion of mine
about playing up American seclusion
for all it was worth, was certainly
some trump card.
At Chicago, June 9, 1920
War Demon (doubtingly)-T Those
Lodge reservations take the heart out
of the league. but that doesn't do the
killing trick that Pm after. Must use
concentrated hypnotic force on whole
convention and also make johnson
and Borah the king-b bee buffers.
At Chicago, June IL, 1920
War Demon Tin great glee)-Talk
about your "knock-out Drops" but
come to me when you want the real
thing. That mean-anything-yo -you-wish-
it-to-mean peace plank don't scare me
ever a little bit. It's 'old stuff tried
out through many years at the Hague
by Choate, Root and Knox, and fizzled
tC my entire satisfaction. 1t did not
hold back Germany'S effort in 1914,
(nor would it in any future attempt),
to enslave the world, with eyes greed
lily concentrated on the Aladdin-lamp
feast of untold-wealth-tr tribute from
the United 9aates.
That convention certainly was good
to me- for it's league strangulation
paves the way for resumption, on Il
tremendously larger scale of the old
time competitive war armaments,
while the masses of the people, bur
dened now to distressful point with
the taxes of my recent herculean eff
fort, must groan, bend and break with
the blood sweating load of enormous
ly higher taxes to keep me from play
ing hell with the whole world again.
The poor folks don't realize that get
ting chesty' makes an easy fight at
the drop of hat.
At Chicaoo Iuna - 1o00
War Demon (uproariously frantic
with delight)-That private telephone
from Filly to Chic was certainly some
boss stunt. all right, all right. Yum
te tum tum tum; they've nominated
the Senator-I mean a senator, SEN
ator Penrose- can't I get it
right, mean Senator Penrose Hard
ing-confound it, my joy has befud-
died my wits-I mean Senator War
rem G. Harding. the genial gentleman,
quite agreeable, perhaps too "agree
able," he's spineless enough to fit a
fence-I mean a platform-that has
no backbone. 'Gloree- -ri-rum; / have
another dandy idea I'll try to have
Harding Penrose, doggone it, | mean
Harding, elected through the superb
ly altruistic, super-patriotic, self
abnegating influences of those super
Americans who flourish as bay tree
when 1 flourish. I'll form an irresist-
ible phalanx of the chief proiteer,
stealers and some steel chiefs. some
powder PATRIOTS, some rifle advocates
of peace, some armor plate lovers of
the league, and have them led by
General international Banker in the
great push-I mean ''pull''-of a vic
torious election, and on March 9Th,
1921, I'll Sc that the aforementioned
boss telephone stunt is duplicated
with one end in the Office of the hon
OF ary pres-I mean-the president, at
the White House and the other end in
the Office of the real pres-shucks-I
mean-of Sen. Pen. Rose in the real
executive mansion-there | go again
- in the Senate Office building.
In the Dumps, June Is, 1920
War Demon-(morosely)I have
had time for sober reflection; became
drunk on convention enthusiasm. No
tice that dozens of republican papers
are afraid of the strength of plat
form composed mostly of sap and
very little heart planks; some of
them even accuse it of being compos-
ed of super-abundant political 'sops'