Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-07-02
CUMMINGS MAKES
KEYNOTE SPEECH
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND
TREATY ARE DEPICTED AS
THE DOMINANT ISSUES
AASpS REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
Charges "Old Guard" Sold the Honor
of America For Privilege Of Nom
mating Reactionary.

San FranclSc0.-MaKing the peaC
treaty and the league OF nations tn
dominant issue OF the coming pres
Dental campaign, Homer Cummings
us temporary chairman Of the demo
cratic national convention at the op
ening session, delivered the keynote
speech. Cummings devoted half o
his time to a discussion Of the treaty
and its reception by the senate. Cum
mings praised democratic achieve
ments OF the past eight years and ut
tered ringing denunciaton of the re
publican party.
Speaking OF the league Of nations
plank in the republican platform
Cummings said:
at praises without discrimination
all the republican senators who par
ticipated in its defeat Its words OF
benediction fall alike upon the irrecon-
cleables, the Lodge reservationists,
the mild reservationists and those
who proposed separate peace with
Germany. ''' 1t is enough TO know
that the Old Guard sold the honor Of
America for the privilege of MONT
mating a reactionary for president"
After naming the nations that have
ratified the peace treaty, Cummings
said:
'"What nations stand outside? Rev
dictionary Mexico. Bolshevist Russia,
unspeakable Turkey and the United
States of America"
He accused the republicans in the
senate OF conspiracy to defeat the
treaty because they were moved By
a strange and inexplicable jealousy of
the president"
Speaking of the sacrifices President
Wilson made for the treaty, he said
Congress was in session for months
while the president lay in the White
House struggling with terrifying i'll
ness. and at times, close to the point
of death.
The president made every sacrifice
for the cause Of peace" Cummings de-
claref. while at home there was
propaganda making il i'm.
perative that he take up in his own
country a struggle for the preserya |.
ton Of that which had been won at in.
cost Following the su /
perhuman labors o fseyen years OF .
service, this means the
wreck of his health-and worse than
physical sickness. the sickness OF
heart which comes from the knowl.
edge that political adversaries are
'avagely destroying . the hope of
iettled peace. This was the aflc.
the crucihxion."
Cummings detailed the achievements
" the nation during the world war
lie gave all credit to American pa
riotism and added.
"But surely the time has come
vhen, because OF the calculated criti-
ism and the premeditated calum-
les of theopposition we are entitled
o call attention to the fact that all
t these things were achieved under
he leadership of great democrat
nd the great democratic administra-
lon.
I'VE have no apologies to make.
OF one" he said. I'VE are proud OF ,
ur great navy; we are proud Of our D.,
plendid navy; we are proud of the ;
over OF our country and the manner i,
/ which that power has been used
80 And we are proud OF the in =
PRED and incompatible leadership =
Woodrow Wilson
Cummings said the republican plat t
,rm seeks to same and besmrch
lis shining record OF tremendous i
He referred to the {
arious congressional committees as n
committees" t
"Over so Investigations have been a
ade by congress and over s2,O00000 v
asted," he said, "and the one result v
As been to prove that it was the c
eanest war ever fought in the his X
ny of civilization" Il
Despite all their Investigations o
, said, mot one single democratic Of S
,ial has either been accused or even
lspected, C
Cummings referred to those who Il
,mplain at the great money cost of b
e war as "pitifully cramped in soul" 81
Regarding preparedness re said n
at in a strict military sense a demo- c,
acy is never prepared for war but h
at America was made ready in Il
ay that was far more effective than W
; maintaining at enormous cost 1t
eat ornaments, which neither party 81