The Washington times., 1920-07-17
Governor Cox Had Better Let
the Dead Past Bury Its Dead,
Including League of Nations

Senator Harding Republican candidate for President
has practically opened the campaign with the following
statement:
Columbus dispatches describing the conference be.
tween the Democratic nominees for President and Vice
President MoSday say that Governor Cox left 1T to
the Vice Presidential nominee to make known the conclu
sons reached And thus authorized to speak for both OF
them the Vice Presidential nominee stated that he con-
sdered the League of Nations of the dominant issues
of the campaign only in the East but in the West
He expected to make his campaign chiefly on the League
of Nations ISSUE"
After reviewing the consequences of the ratification OF
the League of Nations President Wilson would have it
ratified, Senator Harding concludes as follows:
"The Republican party and candidates gladly accept
the challenge. We are more than willing to make the
election national referendum the question whether we
shall have four years of Democratic readiness to
surrender this Republic"
With justification in the light of recent events, the
Republican leaders confident the League OF Ma
tons issue that Senator Harding doubtless under advice
eagerly sezes the first opportunity to force Governor Cox
the Democratic nominee for President into the arena to give
battle on the League issue
The basis for Senator Hardng's statement is, he
himself says, newspaper dispatches from Columbus Ohio
and these dispatches apparently based upon the author
ty of Mr. Franklin Roosevelt the Democratic nominee for
Vice President
Thus there two chances of in assuming Gov
Cox to be responsible for the declaration that the
League of Nations is to be the paramount issue in the cam
pagn Newspaper dispatches not always correct and
Mr. Franklin Roosevelt is not always correct wise in his
statements He possesses immature exuberance which
than embarrassed his superors during the
But the evidence is sufficiently definite and strong to
require explanation from Governor Cox and to justify
American people in assuming that Senator Harding right
in accepting the newspaper dispatches of Franklin Roose
velts statement correct unless Governor Coxs expa
nation and denial are forthcoming
How it is possible for intelligent American politician
to believe that the Democratic nominees win in this
campaign the League of Nations paramount ISSUE
issue at ALL Of the mysteries Of American
politics.
Almost every by y-electon for Congress waged on the
League of Nations issue has resulted in the defeat of the
Democratic candidate accepting the League and that too
generally in Democratic districts.
We recall at this writing but district in which
the League made issue where Democratic majority
in the district not overturned and in that election the
result very much closer than usual in district strongly
Democratic notwithstanding the fact that the Democratic
candidate himself very much stronger than usual.
Indeed, every intelligent citizen in that district knew
that the Democratic candidate his record in
spite of the League of Nations which greatly handicapped
him.
Nearly every Democratic Senator north Of the Mason
and Dixon line voted against the Presidents League on
account of public opinion in his district The State of
Georgia Statewide referendum the question went
almost two to against the candidate supporting the
League.
But worst of ALL with the Democratic nominee as the
champion of the League of Nations the fact that he
must wage his fight for election in Eastern States wherein
the Democratic rank and file opposition the League of
Nations is overwhelming If any Democratic politician
thinks that the Democratic party carry New York New
Jersey Illinois, Connecticut and Rhode Island any of
these States Wilson League Of Nations he has lost his
capacity to consider plain facts.
The American people will not support proposal which
will keep them continuously in There about thirty
being waged in the world with the League Of
Nations in full operation and with membership of twenty
nine nations It has utterly failed to function in the
ways of peace that its author General Smus the dsn
guished South African statesman and soldier expresses
grave doubt whether it survive useful institution
in the worlds progress.
Lord Robert Cecil, of England's greatest public
whom wise expect to be the next prime minister
is the head of the organization formed for the purpose