The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-07
JOp','>;=<,ATTACKS
<z.,1,IOCRATS' PLANK
ON WORLD LEAGUE
Issue Clearly Defined in Plat
forms. California Senator,
Defeated by Harding Says,
Supporting Republican.

SAN FRANCISCO. July 7.-Support
oi the Republican party with can
dldate standing four -suuare upon the
platform" Is the only choice left "those
VINO believe in safeguarding, protect
Senator Hiram ". johnson Of Cali
tornia declared in a statement at his
home here today.
For, more than a year the contest
over the presidents league of nations
mas been waged in congress-" Senator
Johnson's statement said, 'It has been
the all-engrossing and paramount issue
VI necessity, this issue came to the
conventions of the great political par
iles; Both Republicans and Democrats,
IN their platforms, have INDUCED in the
usual l political verbcslty, but, neverthe-
ton to each other, sharply define and
clearly present the question for decision
In the November election.
Inc RepubHcan party declared that
tnn presidents covenant failed signally
% accomplish its purpose and contained
ss.pulatlons !. not only intolerable for an
independent people, but certain TO pro-
duce the Injustice, hostility and contro-
Versy among nations which il proposed
70 prevent and repudiated to a degree
wholly unnecessary and unjustifiable
tne time-honored policies in favor of
son and Monroe"
The Republican party stands. there
lore, firmly against the presidents cove =
nant as presented. denounces IL as
breeding war rather than promoting
peace, and reafflrms the time -honored,
ferson fnS.lon-old policies of Washington, JET
The Democratic party on the other
nano, rejected every effort to modify
or qualify the Presidents pronosed
league league OF nations. indorsed the presi-
gents attitude and took Its position in
iavor "a OF the league as presented 1t
ls true that the Democrats, In effort to
piacate, say something about reserva :
tions which might make cleaner or more
SPECIFIC the obligations OF the United
states, but the language Is meaningless
ana does not at all alter the essential
ieoa,io ioS,,ion OF tne Democratic party for the
The two parties acted in similar
Iashion i'll one regpect, but from diff {.
Ierent motives, and for different rea- :
sons. Both. rejected the pleas for adop-
ton OF the league with reservations, the
democrats because they were for the
league as presented, and the Re
publicans, because no reservations de-
Vlsed by the human mind could antici-
pate tho contingencies which might
arise in the future from an instrument
or such potential possibilities for harm.
Thus the issue finally comes from
the forum of congress to the final ar
bitrament of the American people. The
overshadowing question in the cam
lpaign, therefore, is wrether we enter
the maelstrom OF Europeaa and Asiatic
politics and diplomacy and become a
part of the cynical imperialism OF the
old world. or whether Qerica shall
live her life in her own Way, independ
ent, unfettered, mindful always OF her
obligations to humanity and civiliza-
ton; but free to act as each crisis
shall arise, and maintaining always the
policy of Washington and Jefferson and
Monroe, of friendship with all nations
entangling alliances with none.
with a candidate standing four
square upon the platform. the issues
leave those who believe in safeguard
ing, protecting and preserving our
Amercansm, but one choice, and that
is to support the Republican party"