The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-26

Is convinced that against the restors-
ton Of military autocracy, with VIII.
liam II as the autoor0t, the Civilized
world Will oppose itself"
II occurs to the Salt Lake Herald
tRep.) to regard the whole mixup as "a
conspiracy to deceive the entente ana
secure new terms of peace Of less
exacting character" and the San An
tonic Express lind. DENY also speaks
Of the clever camouflage" Of these po-
litical developments. which it REGARDS
as nothing more than a cover for
monarchist Vaccinations" and 1t frank
ly supports the employment of the
mailed fist to execute the treaty
terms" All of which causes the Spo-
kane Spokesman Review (Ind. Rep,)
to fear that 1.-THE allies will have rea-
son to regret their leniencv in calling
off the victorious legions of Foch be-
fore they had dealt the impending
knockout blow" since we are dealing
with d sullen and slippery antagonist
who is bent upon evading the painful
penalties OF the treaty"
There Is no doubt that most Ameri-
can opinions hope for the stability of
the present moderate regime in Ger
many. The Des Moines Capital lRepl
is inclined to excuse the instability OF
Germany, pointing out that lit has
taken France about a hundred years
to adjust herself to q republic" and
that the hardest lesson for a republic
an election" The Atlanta Journal
(Dem,) expresses the general senti-
| ment when II declares that the pres
ent authorities represent che
nations likeliest prospect in foreign
affairs as wen as It's steadiest support
| in things domestic"
A Demonstration for Traitors,
A party OF Socialists will gather in
! Washington on April 13 to demand the
/ alapa gAf TNaENr A
lanta penitentiary, where he is serving
term for violation ot7the espionage
act.
Ar arranged conference is to be
held with the president, but that the
president has yet consented to it is not
made clear
General amnesty will be asked for
''all Socialists and radicals confined or
| under prison sentence under espionage
act convictions" and 1t will be assert
ed that these prisoners were condemnedt
| for political 0ffenses.
That these political" offenses meant
death TO our soldiers and sailors, de-
struction to our country and subsection
of our people to foreign domination will
not be emphasized by the spokesman
for the Socialists and radicals"
That the political" offenders sought
to defeat the United States if war is
a fact (which their apologists will ig-
more.
Moreover, resolutions declaring such
(generaD amnesty will be introduced In
the house and senate, according to the
plan. Senator France (Maryland) has
promised to introduce one in the SEN
tie, 1t Is said, while several representa-
tives are said to be willing to act in
the house."
We wonder by. what amendment to
the constitution the power to pardon
criminals has recently been transferred
from the executive to the legislative
Department. Sun and New York
Herald Qnd.).
Benson Was the/Man.
Admiral Sims has named the high Of
fetal who told him: "Don't let the
British pull the wool over your eyes.
1t is not our duty to pull their chestnuts
out Of the fire We would as soon
fight the British as the Germans"
The man who made these extraordi-
nary statements was Admiral w. S.
} Benson Secretary Daniels chief of op-
erations, the officer responsible for the
; handling Of the fleet. They were made
twice in Washington, just before the
not yet been declared, and third
time, substantially, in Paris six months
later, when the United States was a
o-beligerent.
The obvious primary role of the
American navy was to cooperate with
the British fleet in maintaining the
blockade of the German coasts and In
} checking the devastations Of the enemy
submarines in the war zone" How
J could a whole-hearted effort to coop
crate in this critical task be expected
! of a strategist who even six months
after war had been declared was still
harping on the idea that he would AS
| soon fight one side as the other?
Admiral Sims disclosures put a stag
gering burden on the president, on
Secretary Daniels and on his chief
I naval adviser. Can they break the
/ force Of the case for inefficiency and
! indifference in the conduct OF the war
; which the Sims hearings have so con-
> vincingly built up? The honor and
zeal of the United States as a co-bel.
ligerent have been impugned Surely
no American will be proud of record
J which will say to the future that in
r enc conspicuous case responsible agents
, of our government said one thing in
public and quite another in private
gNew- York Tribune tRep).