Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-06-28

Iation of American pledges. Every one
acquainted with diplomatic usages, or
with the plain requirements Of honesty,
understands this The foolish invention
that the president refused to permit the
dotting Of an Il" or the crossing of
st" has been so often repeated that
many honest people believe in its truth.
In every speech made during his tour
the president stated entire willingness
to accept any and all reservations not
Incompatible with America S honor and
true interests. 1t is the plain intent OF
the covenant that the Monroe doctrine
Is excluded, that domestic questions are
exempted. that not one American can
be sent out Of the country without for
NAL action by congress and that the
right of withdrawal is absolute. If there
are words which can make these mean
ings clearer they will be welcomed. It
is not reservations that the president
stands against, but notification.
When the president came back from
Paris in February 1919, he brought the
first tentative draft of the covenant OF
the league Of nations. he gave publicity
to 1t. 1t was published throughout the
land. He invited the friends of such
league to submit criticisms. Former
President Taft offered four amendments;
former Senator Root offered six amend
ments; and Mr.. Hughes suggested seven.
At a meeting Of the committee on for
March. 1919, other changes were sug-
gested. These amendments were taken
back by the president TO Paris and their
substance was actually incorporated in
the revised draft OF the league. DR..
Lowell, president of Harvard university,
in his joint debate with Senator Lodge,
invited the latter TO suggest construc-
tive amendments which the president
might incorporate in the draft; but he
refused so TO do. At no time has he
4ffn asrsa tv-a - 90 -,
time has he failed to offer destructive
criticism. So intolerant was his attitude
that he would not even consider a com
promise proposed by former President
Taft Of his own party and which was
assured of the support Of forty demo-
cratic senators. Senator Lodge knew
that he controlled the senate and that
i'm his own time and way he could de-
stroy the treaty.
This is the sUrdiG story of it's de-
feat. No blacker crime against ciyiliza-
ton has ever s0iled the pages of our his
tory. The last chapter was written at
Chicago.
"OLD GUARD" SOLD
HONOR OF AMERICA.
The republican platform not only re-
pudiates the league Of nations, but
praises, without discrimination, all of the
republican senator's who participated in
Its defeat. Its words of benediction fall
alike upon the irreconcilables, the Lodge
reservationists, the mild reservationists
and those who propose a separate peace
with Germany. 1t is consistent in one
thing only. the recognition of the fact
that the open foes Of the treaty. the
secret foes of the treaty. and the appar-
ent friends Of the treaty who conspired
with it's enemies. are equally RESPONSE
Bile for the destruction Of the instru-
ment itself. II would be idle to inquire
by what political legerdemaiu this mean
ingless and yet ominous declaration was
prepared. II is enough to know that the
old Guard sold the honor of Amer
lea for the. privilege of nominating re
dictionary for president.
The war had set a great task for
craftsmanship. The best thought of the
world demanded that a serious attempt
be made by the leaders of the allied gov
ernments to formulate a treaty OF peace
which should prevent the recurrence Of
war. Every rightful impulse Of the hui
man heart was in accord with that pur-
pose. From time imnlemorial men have
dreamed OF peace; poets have sung of il :;
philosophers have written about It :
statesmen have discussed it; men every
where have hoped and prayed that the
day might come when wars would no
longer be necessary in the settlement OF
international differences.
For the first time in the turbulent an
mails or the human race, such a project
had become feasible. The destruction Of
militarism, the crumbling of thrones the
appreciation of the inner meaning OF
war and the final triumph of democracy
had at last made 1t possible to realize
the dearest dream that ever crossed the
night of mans dark mind. The oppor-
tunity for service was as great as the
need OF the world and the failure to
render IL must stand as a reproach for all
time.
1t is said that If the dead who died in
the great war were placed head to feet,
they would stretch from New York to
San Francisco, and from San Francisco
back again to New York; and If those
who persisted from starvation and from
other causes collateral to the war were
placed head TO feet, they would reach
around the great globe itself. At this
very hour, millions of men ad women
hesitancy. How can the heart of
America be closed to these things?
/ have been many miles in this country
and it has been my fortune to visit most
Of the states of the union. Il haa so hap
pened that l have been in many of these
states when the boys were coming from
the front. | have seen the gres avenues
Of our splendid American cities lined
with the populace, cheering and cheering
again MS these brave lads marched by,
happy that they had come triumphantly
home. But / have never witnessed these
inspiring sights without thinking Of the
boys who did not come home. They do
not rest as strangers in a strange land
these soldiers of liberty. The generous
heart of France enfolds them. The
women and the children of France cover
their graves with flowers and water them
with tears. Destiny seized these lads
and led them far from home to die for
an ideal. And yet they live and speak
to us here in the homeland, not Of trivial
things but of immortal things. Rev
erence and pity and high resolve-surely
these remain to us. In that heart of
hearts where the great works of man
are wrought, there can be no forgetting.
oh, God, release the imprisoned soul of
America touch once more the hidden
springs of the spirit and reveal us to
ourselves.
SUPPORT THE ONLY PLAN
FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE.
Let the true purpose Of our party be
clearly understood. We stand squarely
for the same ideals Of peace as those for
which the war was fought. We support
without finching the. only feasible plan
for peace and justice. We will not sub
init to the reputation of the peace treaty
or to any process by which ii Is whitfield
down to the vanishing point. We de-
cline to compromise our principles or
pawn our immortal souls for selfish pur-
poses. We do not turn our backs upon
the history of the last three years. We
seek no avenue of retreat. We insist
that the forward course is the only
righteous course.
We seek to re-esta blish the fruits of
victory, to reinstate the good faith of our
country and to restore 1t to its rightful
place among the nations of the earth.
To