The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-20
LODGE SAYS WILSON
BREAKS LAWS OF Us.
sThen Who Could Be Expected
to Obey Them?' He Asks
Newark Crowd.
AUToCRACY is BLAMED
Refusal to Follow Merchant
Marine Bill Is Denounced
by Senator.

'Tf the President of the United States
dlsregards the law, who can be expected
to obey it?" Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
demanded last night in the First Regi-
ment Armory. Newark. And 1000 men
and women who had gone to listen to
the Massachusetts, statesman tell of the
fight he and his colleagues In the Senate
have made against autocracy roared
their approval of his words.
Senator Lodge carried his anti-League
of Nations and pro-American sovereignty
banner into President Wilson's home
State and was overwhelmed by the well
come he received. He repeated his ex-
PLANTATION of the league reservations that
bar his name and again called upon
Americans to keep the Stars and Stripes
waving above "the mongrel flag of the
League Of Nations"
He cited Hannis Taylor's likening of
Woodrow Wilson to the third Napoleon
and caused those in the crowd to rise
to their feet by his denunciation Of the
Presidents refusal to abide by the pro-
visions of the merchant marine bill even
after the President had signed the
measure. He explained that all his al
lusions to President Wilson included
allusion to Gov. Cox. who has said that
if he should be elected he would follow
the path blazed by Mr. Wilson
The Senator told of the inefficiency
OF the Post Office Department under
the rule Of Mr.. Burleson. and declared
that this ineffIciency was born OF the
IF "a mo OF II m
initiate his master, Mr.. Wilson, in 'au-
tocracising' that service. The looseness
Of the War Risk Insurance and Soldier
Compensation Bureaus administration
received some of the Senator's time,
and the crowd applauded nightly.
Favoritism In Washington.
"And would ask you to consider the
favorltism and discrimination that has
characterized the administration of the
War and the Navy Departments" he
went on. 1T was Senator Harding who
put before Congress the bill that would
have made it possible for Theodore
Roosevelt to put his own division into
the field. Congress granted that per-
mission, yet the War Department re-
fused to permit Theodore Roosevelt to
take part in the war.
"And think of the treatment they gave
Gen. Wood and Gen. Edwards. Two
weeks from tonight the Yankee divi-
sion boys will let it be known that they
did not forget Gen. Edwards"
The Senator proceeded to tell of the
President ignoring not only the Consti-
tuition but even his own writings on the
Government of the United States. He
reminded the throng that President Will
son sought repeatedly TO usurp the func-
lions of the legislative branch of the
Government and sought by trickery to
force the League of Nations upon the
country. This trickery, he said, in
cluded the combining of the league with
the treaty whereby peace with Germany
would be impossible If America did not
accept the league at the same time.
IF peace depends upon that sorry
thing" Senator Lodge cried. 1--WE are in
bad way indeed"
He showed that the rejection by the
Senate of the league was not a partisan
or party affair.
"On its final rejection he said, "thir-
ty-four Republicans and twenty-three
Democrats voted for the amended
league-the league with the reserva-
tons that bear my name. The Senate,
therefore, did not make 1t a party ques-
ton. 1t was Woodrow Wilson who
made it political issue-a party mat
ter"
At no time was the crowd more vo-
ciferous than when the Senator do
clared that no council of any nations
would ever interpret the Monroe Doc
trine for the United States.
I'VE shall do that for ourselves he
said. ut is not an international ques-
ton. 1t is our own domestic affair.
Puppet Casting League Vote.
And then. speaking about the one
man who would represent America IN
the Council of the League Of Nations.
the Senator said:
"He would be the Presidents selection,
ard IL a question involving war were to
arise he would undoubtedly vote as the
President directed. In other words, we
cone back to the proposition that with
out such minute precautions as were
taken in the reservation l have just
quoted one man could involve the United
States in war. 1t matters not II that
one man is the President
Under the Constitution the Congress
alone can declare war. and yet under this
alliance called n league the President
would have power to involve the country
in war before Congress could act. 1t Is
no reply to say that this is an incon-
ceivable case. that such a thing would
never happen.
"Such thing would be very likely to
happen IL we continued Mr.. Wilson In
the White House or any OF his heirs or
assigns. Moreover, as a broad general
principle, there never should be an op-
porturity for one man to have the power
TO put the country into such war an
the covenant OF the league submitted by
Mr.. Wilson contemplates. Wholly apart
from the provisions of the treaty. It
would be more than possible as the
covenant OF the league now stands for
our soldiers and sailors to be sent to
war without the assent of the represen-
tatives OF the people In Congress"
Former State Senator Austen Colgate
acted as chairman OF the meeting. Be-
fore the meeting Senator Lodge was the
guest At dinner Of Republican leader, in
Northern New Jersey.