Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-11-06
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1920.
EVENTS OF A WEEK.

lo Ut n "EIkA.
The election was the great event Of
the first eek in November. an event
which not only absorbed the attention
of the people Of the United States, but
which was watched closely through
out the world. Tho Republican victory
was complete. The Republican cAndi-
date for president carried every
northern and western state. and added
Missouri. Oklahoma and Tennessee to
the list. Four hundred electoral votes
will be cast for Senator Harding, leav-
ing to his opponent only the stntes
which were definitely conceded to
him from the beginning.
The landslide carried with 1t COM
plete control OF both branches OF con-
gress. The Senate will have a, Repub-
lican majority Of 81 instead Of the
one or occasionally two as in the pres
ent lineup. The House Of Represent
atives will be Republican by a ma
jority OF two to one. the sort of ma
jority which sometimes proves I'M
wteldy. The wave has swept several
STATE governments from the Demo-
cratic to the Republican side. There
has not been such a shaking up in
American politics for many years.
1t will be comforting to many Dem
ocrats who cling affectionately to the
traditions Of their party to reflect that
It is exceedingly doubtful that any
party could have weathered the storm
which was certain to follow the war.
Under any party the war would have
disorganized: things throughout tho
country. Necessarily it withdrew men
by the million from their ordinary
pursuits and changed the direction Of
their energies. Enormous debt was
piled up. There was such urgency to
get things done n a cost was very
properly considered secondary. Waste
was inevitable. Mistakes were bound
to be made. The social structure Of
the nation was .agitated from center
to circumference. and normal rela-
lions could not ne restored quickly or
without great difficulty. Any party
under whose administration those con-
dit!ons had arisen was bound to find
h travelling rough and rugged.
So much for the inevitable, and out
of 1t our Democratic friends are en-
titled to some of consolation.
What they will not be 80 ready to ad-
NIT is that the leaders OF their party
had not proven equal to the task of
handling the situation as well as it
might have. been handled. and had
given no evidence Of improvement as
the months went by. But it was un-
doubtedly the popular conviction that
this was true that accounts in the
main for the sweeping character of
the party's defeat. The one issue was
more generally discussed by the chief
the League of Nations. And it may
safely be said hat the influence OF
this issue on the result was negligible.
h dominant sentiment on this sub
tect was undoubtedly one of dissatis-
faction that American statesmen had
not long ago settled this question in
a statesmanlike manner AS to the
precise terms on which the United
States should enter the League there
was, and is. no settled opinion. The
thing that Influenced the election wal
the universal desire for rehabilitation
and the Dreponderance Of opinion tina,
the Democrats having no made
satisfactory showing, the Republican.
might better be entrusted with the
jCb.
Europe. has watched the situation
closely, and there is every evidence
that Europe generally is we'll pleased
with the result. Europe is, more great
~ and Immediately in need of rehabi
litatior than is the United States. It:
affairs are in = sad state Of demorali
za1ion, and all Of its peoples look t,
the United States for aid in recover
ing themselves from the results of tn,
war. Europe does not feel the neet
for American armies or navies. Sh'
does feel the need for a free exchang'
Of goods with this country. and TO,
credit with which to obtain the ma
terinls for her immediate wants. TIL
discrimination of American business
retards European progress. and tn
settlement Of our domestic affairs ant
the rebuilding Of our trade Ere recog
nized by thinking foreigners as essen
tial to the welfare. And because tn.
change OF administration gives prom
ise of the improvement which is de
sired, that change is generally vel
coined abroad.
X X 4
The central European situation re
Z mains unsettled. Soviet authorities
complain that the closing of peac.
terms with Poland has not brough'