El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-07-30

after the speech Of acceptance
Free to Criticize.
For already friends Of the Demo-
cratic nominee are saying privately
that the Cox visit TO the White house
may have been a good thing 10 re-
assure Wilson Democrats, but on the
other hand It made other Democrats
and Independents wonder how far
Cox would be obliged 10 swallow all
the defects Of the Wilson admintstra-
ton.
Governor Cox was not in Washing
ton, either in the legislative or in the
executive branch Of the government,
and as far as he is personally con-
cerned he is free to criticize freely
anything the Wilson administration
did. Unless he exhibits such inde-
pendence there are many delegates
who think his chances Of getting the
independent vote viii be seriously af-
fected, for no matter how laudatory
the Democratic convention may have
been concerning all the policies Of
the Democratic administration Of the
last seven and half years, there is
a resentment TO overcome of more
or less the same sort that faced the
Roosevelt administration and the
Taft administration at the close Of
their respective terms.
Fundamentally, the president has
the right 10 expect agreement on the
part Of the Democratic nominee with
respect to the league OF nations is
sue That IS important not alone be-
cause Mr.. Wilson Wills st. but be-
cause plenty Of Democratic voters,
especially in the west, feel the same
way. But the Ohio governor is not
bound to stand for the treaty with
out qualifications. He need not in
sist that 1t be accepted as written in
Paris.
Cox for Reservations.
The president may have felt bound
TO the Versailles treaty, to urge its
adoption without change, but the
next president Of the United States
can advocate dhanges without feeling
embarrassed. The only difference Is
that the changes shall really not de-
stroy the purpose OF machinery OF the
Z league itself 1t viii be remembered
that president Wilson's support Of
any reservations, whether interpreta-
tive or constructive, has been rather
lukeWarm, and his opponents sue
ceeded in impianting an impression
OF obstlnacy, because Mr. Wilson was
unwilling, for Instance, to say fatty
that he would accept the Hitchcock
reservations Moreover, at the Dem
ocratic national convention it was
after considerable debate and diff
Guilty that a clause was inserted IA
Vorlng reservations that would make
Americas obligations under the
a CAY anu AEae AE clearer ana NunrE
specific But the addition Of res
ervations is considered by governor
Cox an absolute necessity for. while
he may agree with the president THAI
the language Of the covenant is
clear enough for statesmen and 9TH
ers who have analysed legal phrase
ology very closely, neverth eiess, II
isn't clear to the people who have
been hearing opposition speeches.
Governor Cox's views on the league
viii be found 70 be in accordance
with the Wilson purposes and ideals,
put the tactics he will pursue in the
campaign viii leave no doubt that he
is willing TO stand for reservations
that completely remove all doubts
and ambiguity about Americas SOW
erelgnty and Independence. and that
VIII absolutely erase the impression
OF Americas obligation to 70 10 var
against her own viii and against the
wishes Of her c0ngress.-Copyrigh
1920, by David Lawrence