Evening star., 1920-10-07
DEMOCRATS MAKE
PLEA To CHURCHES
TO SAVE LEAGUE
Play Trump Card by Starting
Emotional Wave Among
Christian Hosts.
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

by n. U. MESSENGEH-
NEW YORK, October Demo
cratic strategy is playing its trump
cards in the campaign. A great emo
tional and semi-religious wave is be-
ing started among the church people
in behalf of the league of nations
Every one is familiar with the success
of the slogan four years ago, HE
kept US out of war" 1t is to be
tried again, this time changed to suit
the occasion. 1T will keep US out OF
war is to be the appeal to the Chris
tion hosts of the land
The democratic national manage
ment intends to wage from now on an
intensive drive through the ministers
and the congregations. with an espe-
cial appeal to the woman voters
working on their emotions for the
league of nations. The managers have
great confidence in being able to
arouse an emotional fervor- of good
old camp meeting proportions and SET
the people singing and praying for
the league.
curious paradox in politics. for the
republicans contend with equal en-
phasis that adherence means inevi-
table embodiment of the United States
In future wars of Europe.
Spectacle of Campaign Seen.
So there will be the spectacle, as elec-
ton draws nigh, of the republican ora
tors on the stump. aenouncing the league
OF nations as loaded with war dyna-
mite for this country, and the adherents
OF the league, prompted by the demo-
cratic managers, praying in church for
adoption of the covenant and urging
it as a Christian d1ty
Gov. Cox himself has set the move
ment going. He has written a sermon
on the league in the Christian Herald
which is reprinted and sent broadcast
by the democratic national committee
Gov. Cox takes for his text quotation
from the epistle of Timothy, Fighting
the good fight of faith" He goes on to
say: These words might well be our
text for the campaign before the Ameri-
can people which. within the limits of our
strength, has been carried to every fire.
side in this broad land of ours. Ours
is fight of faith-faith with the world
that accepted our statement of unselfish
purpose. faith with fathers and mothers,
wives and loved ones, who gave their
sons, husbands and brothers to war
upon war; faith with those who made
sacrifices in homes, faith with those
faith with the dead.
A Sacred Commission.
'.As leader of great organization
which had its part in interpreting the
aspirations of the American people
and shaping Americanism through the
generations, we have been vested with
q sacred cOmmission-a mandate sane.
titled by the reckless bravery of oul
sons and ennobled by the heart i'm.
pulses of our daughters. Through
circumstances not of our own choos
u - 4 II
the honor of the nation: we have beer
called to fight the good fight Of faith
at is not a subject of marvel tina,
practically every denominationa1 and
interdenominational gathering of reli.
gious men that has been held since
the Versailles covenant was adopted
has included an Endorsement of that
great document.
'.A1oof from contentious of parti-
sans, freed from the bigotry engen-
dered by factionalism, looking upon
national questions through the win
dows OF light and truth, the banded
followers of the Man of Nazareth have
claims. In a word, Christians, speak
ing organically, with a voice that
could not be misunderstood, have
stated that they wish the league of
nations brought into effective being"
s'Lost in Neglect.
1.-The great heart of America has al
ways been right up on this great is
sue. There has never been a time
when associations of men and women.
Independent of partisanship, have
turned from the league proposal.
war-torn nation in the world. She
sent her devoted bands of workers to
relieve distress. She sent her nurses
to heal the sick. She sent her con-
tributions to feed the hungry. She
opened her warehouses to clothe the
naked. She willingly gave her talent,
through private auspices, to help
bring life back to normal. Her men
of finance gave counsel. They Of
fered credit and we applauded.
'And the good that we sought to
do was lost in our larger neglect.
Weak fears that in helping the
world, fantastic forebodings that in
taking our stand for peace everlast-
ing. imaginary perils that in service
we might be surrendering our birth
right of independence restrained our
more noble impulses.
Debated Selfish Questions.
while famine stalked and the
world cried to heaven for our help we
debated selfish questions. Our nation
in undermining Christian civilization,
causing the despairing peoples of Eu-
rope, friend and enemy alike, to turn,
in every agony, to those who denied
the fundamental precepts upon which
our society rests"
The republican national manage
ment is fully aware of the move of
the opposition in this emotional drive
and will meet it with printed speech es
and personal addresses pointing out
the republican arguments against the
league as war menace and not a
war preventive.