The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-02-20
AS TO LORD CREY'S
LEADERSHIP

| Our neghbor the Sun-or is it the
Herald gives way to an outburst OF
passionate resentment against the
World because we expressed the opin.
ion that while it would have been bet
ter for the senate republicans to fol
How the leadership Of President Will
son or former President Taft in re.
spect to the treaty Of peace, their dis
position to follow the leadership of
viscount Grey was a long step for
ward.
This is denounced by the Sun-or
the Herald, as the case may be-as
''the meanest SANDER to date" Our
neighbor is amazed at
the stupidity of this attack even more
than at its dishonesty which is
shocking morally and is intended
Ito clear the way for still meaner
appeal of falsehood to mob prejudice.
Why the Sun-or the Herald
should be in such a state Of indigna-
ton because the World commended
the republican senators for respond.
/ ing to the leadership of so able, so en-.
lightened and so disinterested a
statesman as Lord Grey we do not
know. Certainly il they are to accept
European advice in this matter they
can find no wiser guide, counsellor
and friend than the former British Sec
rotary Of state for foreign affairs, for
whom the World has tho highest ad-
miration.
In discussing the relations between
the republican senators and Lord
Grey, the World merely accepted the
facts of the situation as they stood
On the night of November 10, when
the senate rejected the various reso.
buttons of ratification. Senator Lodge
said:
"The treaty is dead so far as the
senate is concerned. In the new SEES
sion the president can withdraw the
treaty from the senate and resubmit
LIT for ratification or rejection"
He repeatedly asserted that only
the president could revive the treaty
and there was no public eyidencesUf a
change in his attitude until Lord
Grey's letter was printed. Then Sen
ator Lodge, forgetting that the treaty
was dead unless the president with
drew it and resubmitted it, promptly
gave notice that he would ask the
senate to take up the treaty next Mon
day by majority vote.
| If this was not a response to Lord
Grey's leadership, what was it? The
action of Senator Lodge was especial
ly impressive because he had stub
bornly refused to accept any com
promises, and only two days before
the appearance Of the Grey letter he
had rejected outright former Presi-
dent Taft's substitute reservation on
Article X.
We do not know why the Sun or
the Herald-should be so excited over
the Worlds reference to Lord Grey's
leadership, unless it fears that the re-
publican senators will lose the pro.
German and Sim Fein support which
has hitherto been such an important
factor in "Americanizing" the treaty.
The Tribune is much more rational
than our other republican neighbor.
1t insists, by way of explaining Sen
ator Lodges latest maneuvers, that
knowledge of the British attitude,
however new to the general public,
was not new to the senator This
may easily be the case. Just what
secret negotiations have been carried
on between Senator Lodge in behalf
of the republican majority and the
British and French governments we
have no means Of knowing. The Trib-
une seems certain that there is com.
plete understanding, and it's sources
OF information are presumably relia.
BILE.
The World has sought only to ex-
press its individual opinion that II
the republican senators, after flout.
ing the advice Of the president Of the
United States, now feel the necessity
10 fseeking foreign council as to the
discharge of their constitutional duty.
they cannot find more trustworthy
adviser than viscount Grey of Fallo
don. They might easily 60 much fur
Their and fare worse.-World.