Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-11
The Homo of the w Orld.


President Wilson'S appeal to the Demo
cratic party to unqualifiedly and whole
heartedlv indorse the League of Nations,
made public yesterday morning, was IN
response to letter of inquiry from g. +.
Hamaker, chairman of the Democratic
committee of Multonomah county port
land) Oregon. Chairman Hamaker had
asked the President if he considered 1t
important to nominate candidates pledg-
cd TO ratify Versailles Treaty without
Lodge reservations, To this specific
inquiry President Wilson made direct
and emphatic reply in the affirmative.
1t was local political situation, affect
ing the Democratic voters of Oregon, that
melted this inquiry by Democratic
county chairman. Senator George l..
Chamberlain of that State. who enjoys
the unique distinction Of first having
been elected by a Republican Leglsla-
ture, in accordance with the decision OF
the people expressed at popular election,
and reelected in 1914. is now aspiring to
a third election, his present term ex-
piring March 8, 1921. Senator Chamber
lain, II viii be remembered, made very
bitter and uncallcd for attacks upon the
Wilson administration in the early days OF
our participation IN the World War,
accusing the War Department Of having
practically ceased to function, whereas
It was subsequently, shown that at that
time the department had sent half
million fighting men across the Atlantic,
and was keeping up this remarkable
record. which in the end challenged the
admiration OF the world for It's amazing
efficiency.
senator Chamberlain also voted for the
Lodge reservations to the Treaty OF
Peace and the League of Nations Coven-
ant Ii was only natural, therefore, that
his evident hostility to the admins
tration should lncite opposition 10 his
candidacy for a third term, and he is op-
posed for the Democratic nomination by
H. G. Starkweather, formerly chairman
OF the Oregon Democratic State Commit
tee. 1t is this local Democratic situation
that led TO the request Of the county
chairman for an expression Of opinion by
President Wilson as to the attitude the
Democratic party should assume towards
the League of Nations
President Wilson reply was clear and
explicit. At the outset he declared his be-
lief that it is imperative that the party
should at once proclaim itself the un-
compromising champion OF the nation :
honor and the advocate of everything that
the United States can do IN the service
of humanity; that it should support the
Versailles Treaty and condemn the Lodge
reservations as utterly inconsistent with
the nation honor and destructive Of the
world leadership which it has established,
and which all the free people Of the world,
including the great powers themselves,
had shown themselves ready to welcome. "
Two brief sentences In President VIII
sons deliverance stand out vividly, of
themselves conclusive arguments in sup
port of the righteousness of his conten-
tion that the Democratic party should
unanimously and unitedly indorse his
recommendation. They are:
The League of Nations is the
hope Of the world"
The chief motives which led US to
enter the war will be defeated unless
that Covenant is ratified and acted
upon with vigor."
Not only is the League of Nations the
''hope of the world 2 but it is the earnest
hope of all the rest of the civilized world
that our country will take it's natural
place therein as the most powerful, the
most influential and the leading member. /
The rest of the world looks to the United |
States to make the League of Nations an
effective agency for preserving the peace /
of the world 1t fears that without our
association and support the combination /
will fail in its splendidly altruistic pur
pose.
1t was for the peace Of the world that 1
our brave men fought in France, for /
which so many Of them gave their lives or
suffered grievously in person. Unless we |
60 to the end. 50 clearly in sight and com
plete the high and holy purpose for which /
they fought and died, their noble sacri /
fees will have been in vain