Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-10-05
@UssS
INsINCERE OPPOSITION.

ONtHdht VI tht btosoO VI
means only exactly what it says?
Wilson haters. whose one ambition
Is to discredit the President, are
1 continually putting some other con-
struction to 1t and thereby deliber-
ately confusing the people who do
not take the time or trouble to read
the covenant for themselves.
"You have been grossly misled
with regard to the treaty" said
President Wilson In his stirring ap-
peal to his fellow-countrymen yes
terday. "and particularly with re-
gard to the proposed character of
the League of Nations, by those who
Nave assumed the serious RESPONSE
bility of opposing 1t. They have gone
so far that those who have spent
their lives. as / have spent my life.
In familiarizing themselves with the
history and traditions and polices of
the nation, must stand amazed at the
cross ignorance and impudent nu-
: dacity which have led them to at
tempt to invent an 'Americanism' of
their own, which has no foundation
whatever, in any of the authentic
traditions of the government"
We fear that President Wilson
gives these opponents of his too
much credit for sincerity in their
opposition to the league. AS in
creditable as 1t may seem, these men
who have assumed the serious re-
sponsibility Of opposing the league
are in reality only opposing Presi-
dent Wilson. At heart they are for
The league-with the possible ex-
eption of Senators Borah and john
ON. These men we believe are real
sincere In their opposition to the
league-and so is Tom Watson the
Ienatorial candidate in Georgia who,
through his newspaper. is raising the
s.old cry of secession in the South
hould the United States ever enter
9 league.
But these men who are really sin
cere in their opposition to the league
are beginning to see the insincerity
,f those with whom they have been
associated. President Taft, who is
,ne of the greatest exponents of the
lcague, has always insisted that the
league is just as safe in Republican
hands as 1t would be in Democratic
hands. Wickersham. Lowell, Hib-
ben-even Elihu Root by his ST.
lence since his return from Europe
where he took an important part in
framing the international court that
Is to function under the League Of
Nations, show the insincerity of the
opposition to the league. Sensing
this, Senator Borah has already
quit the Republican national
campaign and Harding is flirting ter
ribly with Senator Johnson to pre-
vent him from breaking away also.
1t was to placate these bitter
enders" and prevent them from oolt-
ing that the Republicans adopted
that wishy-washy plank in their
platform regarding the League of
Nations. Harding's speech of accep-
tance was along the same line. but
as the time approached for Mr.. Root
10. return Harding began to come
around to an Association" of nations
idea and Republican newspapers like
he New York Tribune. New York
Globe, Philadelphia Public Ledger
md Philadelphia Inquirer. all ad-
1ocades of the League of Ma
ions, readily saw the trend Of
vents. The opposition to the league
5 almost wholly based on Opposition
President Wilson created by Re-
,ublican senator's who resent his at
ltude toward the senate-an atti-
ude which, although showing poor
Judgment, even Senator Lodge sd
nits was entirely within his consti-
utional right.
In order to discredit President
wilson "those who do not care to
ell you the truth about the League
# Nations" as the President said
n yesterdays appeal, "tell you that
.rticle X of the covenant of the
aague would make It possible for
ther nations to lead us into war,
whether we will it by our own in
dependent Judgment or not This Is
,solutely false. There is nothing
. the covenant which in the least
erferes with or impairs the right
weer congress to declare war or not de-
.,ai war. according to its own in
iepeadent judgment. as our consti-
ufion provides"
And President Wilson knows
whereof he speaks. When he says
that .sthose who drew the covenant
Of the league were careful that Is
shouh contain nothing which inter-