Cleveland County herald., 1920-07-15
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
 PLATED N


 document is as follows:
 The Democratic party, in it's national convention now assembled, sends greet lnss to the president of the United States woodrow Wilson, and halls with patriotic pride the great achievements for country and the world wrought by q Democratic administration under his leadership.
 It salutes the mighty people of this Sreat republic, emerging with imperlsh- able honor from the severe tests and Srievous strains of the most tragic war In history. having earned the plaudits and gratitude of all free nations.
 It declares its adherence to the funda- ! mental progressive principles of social, economic and industrial Justice and ad- vance, and purposes to resume the great work Of translating these principles into effective laws, begun and carried far by the Democratic administration and inter- fupted only when Qbe war claimed all the victory.
 League Of Nations.
 The Democratic party favors the League of Nations as the surest, if not ehe only, practicable means of maintain hng the permanent peace of the world Of great military and naval establish snents. It was for this that America broke away from traditional isolation and spent her blood and treasure to crush q colossal scheme Of conquest.
 II was upon this basis that the presi- dent of the United States In prearrange- ns2t with our allies, consented to sus- psnSIon Of hoStiIttcs against the imperial GermSu government; the armistice was granted and treaty of peace negotiated upon the Geinite assurance to Germany, as weA as to Nne powers pitted against Ger many, that "a general association of na- tions must be formed. under specific GOV chants, for tEe purpose of affording mu- tual guaranties Of political independence and territorial integrity 10 great and small states altI1e"
 Hence we nat only congratulate the president on the vision manifested and lae Ntgor exhibited in the prosecution of tne War, but We teIeitate him and his Associates on the exceptional achieve snents at Paris involved in the adoption or a league and treaty so near akin to previously expressed American ideals and So Intimately related to the aspirations Of civilized peoples everywhere.
 We commend the president for his cour- age and his high conception of good faith Tn steadtastly standing for the covenant agreed to by all the associated and allied hatons at war with Germany and we condemn the Republican senate for it's refusal to ratify the treaty merely be- Cause It was the product of Democratic statesmanship, thus interposing partisan envy and personal hatred in the way of world.
 By every accepted standard of inter- natonal morality the president IS jusu- lied In asserting that the honor of the country is involved in this business; and ~a point to the accusing fact that, before 1t was determined to initiate political an- fagonlsm to the treaty the now Repub- nean chairman of the senate foreign re- lntlons committee himself publicly pro oAaifned that any proposition for a sepa- Tate peace with Germany, such as he and his party associates thereafter re- ported to the senate, would make us guilty of the blackest crime.'
 On May i5 last the Knox substitute for the Versailles treaty was passed by the Aepublcan senate; and this convention can contrive no more fitting charaeteriza- O OD(OUnN Forum Magazine of December 1918. by Henry Cabot Lodge when he said:
 If we send our armies and young men abroad to be killed and wounded in north srn France and Flanders with no result but this, our entrance into war with such eh intention was a crime which nothing gan justify.'i
 The intent of congress and the intent or the president was that there could be Do peace until we could create a situation Where no such war as this could recur. We cannot make peace except ln com pany with our allies It would brand us With everlasting dishonor and bring ruin 10 us also If we undertook to make sep arate peace"
 Ledge's Proposals Condemned.
 Thus to that which MT. Lodge, in saner moments considered "the blaCkest crime he and his party in madness sought to give the sanctity of law; that which eigh- keen months ago was of everlasting dis honor" the Republican party a1d it's can oldates today accept as the essence of faith.
 We ndorse the presidents view of our International obligations and his firm stand against reservations designed to Cut to pieces the vital provisions in con sress for voting against resolutions for separate peace which would disgrace the nation We advocate the immediate rat ntcation of the treaty without reserVa- iions which would impair it's essential tn- segritY, but do not oppose the acceptance Of any reservations making clearer or 0iOEs of h fytff fad htatos to the League of Nations Only py doing this may we retrieve the repu- taton Of this nation among the powers or the earth ard recover tue moral lead efship witch President Wilson won and which Republican politicians at Washing Sou sacrificed. Only by doing this may Te hope to aid effectively in the resto- ration of order throughout the world and fs take the place which we should as- sume in the front rank of spiritual conf nercial and industrial advancement
 We reject as utterly vain, if not vicious the Republican assumption that ratif1ea- ton of the treaty and membership in the Leasue of Nations would in any wise impair Iha integrity or independence of our country. The fact that the cove nant has bcen entered into by 2g nations All as Jealous of their independence as We are Of ours IS q sufficient refutation or such charge. The president repeatedly has declared. and this convention reaf- nfns. that all our duties and obligations as n member of the leagu. must be ful- nlled In strict conformity with the Con stitui!on of the United States, embodied tr which Is the fundamental requirement. Of Geclaratory action by the congress be- fore this nation may become a partici- pant in any war.
 Conduct of the War.
 During the war President Wilson exhib- tted the very broadest conception of lth eral Amercanism. In his conduct of the war, as in the general administration of his higE office. there was no senblance of partisan bias. He invited to Washing- ton as his councillors and eoadiutors hr1 oreds ot the most prominent and pro houneeds Republicans in the country TO these he committed responsibilities of the gravest import and most confidential ma ture Many of them had charge of vital activities of the government
 And yet, with the war successfully pros ecute5 and gloriously ended the Repub- Hcan party in congress, far from ap- plauding the masterly leadership of the president and felicitating the country on the amazing achievements of the Ameri- can government. has meanly requited the considerate course of the chief magistrate by ssya8ely defaming the commander in chief Of the army and navy, by assailing nearly every public officer of every branch of the service Intimately con eerned in winning the war abroad and Conserving the security Of the govern