New-York tribune., 1920-06-09
A Just Arraignment

"A O0SS <A1t OAk kAkkkICAAI
Senator Lodges speech grows in
firmness as it proceeds, and reaches
an authoritative climax in it's review
of the reasons the treaty is unrati-
fed and this country is not a men,
ber of the league of nations.
When the armistice was signed
the path lay straight as an arrows
flight. We were at full liberty to
make peace with Germany, taking up
afterward in a general conference
with our war associates the question
of arranging to insure the worlds
future peace. A sublime opportunity
beckoned to us. The gratitude, the
confidence, the necessities of man.
kind, even of our enemies, plead for
our leadership. Then came the great
eclipse. The fair prospect was first
dimmed and next destroyed.
The responsibility for the fiasco
was single. With suspicion that for
bade trust of any one, with vanity
that grew as it met rebuffs, with q
combination of stupidity and AFRO
gance that smothered common sense,
the President went to Europe on his
lamentable mission. The gilt of the
applause which welcomed him as
Americas representative quickly
wore off and revealed the base metal
beneath. An ever widening public
first was astonished, then it smiled
and then broke into derision and in
dignation. The friend of all became
friendless.
There was no program, no draft
of plan-nothing but the rhetoric
of an egotistic aspiration. Was the
league to be an alliance of the domi-
nant powers or an organization of
all mankind? Was il to be political
or was it to be concerned with the
definition and enforcement of gen.
eral rights? The President did not
know. He talked both ways and all
ways. The only thing he was sure
of was that the peace treaty and
league agreement should be so inter-
twined that they could not be dis
sected and the American Senate
thus be compelled to accept his judg-
ment, whatever it might prove to be.
America was to have an autocratic
master of her foreign relations, the
American Constitution was to be
nullified and the American people
ignored.
The Senate, as was it's duty, re-
volted-served notice that it was
trustee and could not surrender it's
prerogative, that it would not be
coerced by involvements of a manu-
factured dilemma. It's resolution
was strengthened and confirmed
when it appeared that the covenant
not only proposed to upset the bal
ance Of our institutions but COM
mitted this country to radical
changes in foreign policies which
have existed since the foundation of
the government. What right had
any man, President or other, to
spledge such an innovation without
taking the nation into consultation?
AS the President began, so he
continued. His love for peace and
for an association of nations has
been shown to be a sham. He pre-
terred to defer peace and to prevent
Americas entry into the league to
abating a single demand of his mar
row will. Initiating omnipotence, he
said his words must not return to
him void. He was guilty of the crime
OF infanticide, killing in its cradle
the child he pretended to love.
Senator Lodges Indictment is
severe, but none too severe. His
words are bitter, but the story can
not be accurately told with mild
words. So the Senator called on his
party to divorce itself of all favor
and taint of Wisconsin, veritable
body of death with which no living
tning can have wholesome contact.