Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-06-18

men is disingenious and eyasive and the
other candidly hostile.
1T must be a trifle disconcerting to
some Republicans to have their party
propose now to repudiate that which
was approved few years ago by some
of their most important leaders. l am
as confident today as l was when l re-
turned from Paris in July last, that the
people of not only America, but of the
entire world, are in favor of the League
of Nations, that they would feel
greater sense of security if its benefits
would be guaranteed, that they would
not approve with their votes. Of the
policy of the Republican party which is
! wholly political in intent and purpose,
to deny them protection that The league
of nations assures.
Lever Act.
''The Republican congressional policy
was more significant for evasion of
joint responsibility in graphing with
the problems that confronted the coun-
try than for any moral appreciation OF
the responsibility itself. Republican
leaders in congress cried aloud for the
repeal of some of the measures which
they well knew protected the people
from more serious evils than they
would have the country know.
.'The Lever food control act has
proved to be one of the most effective
agencies in preventing depredations at
the expense of the people than most
any other measure now in operation.
Time for repeating it is not yet.
Espionage Law.
Republicans chorused ponderous
note of protest against the administra
ton enforcement of the espionage act
and some other measures that were of
vital necessity during the war. Yet I
defy the Republicans 10 prove that the
power given the government during the
war has ever been unjustly used against
the people, that single citizen has
been unwarrantedly punished for any act
of aggression of disloyalty against the
nation, that any man has been punished
for expressing his opinion. l have read
charges TO the contrary, but in each iu-
stance | have had the matter thorough
ly looked into and am in position to
contest the accuracy of any statement
that the rights of single citizen have
unjustly been invaded.
The United States senate has for IL
months had in its hands the power TO
end conditions that are Enthusiastically
irksome to Il great many of our citizens,
because with the ratification of the
peace treaty the operation of laws that
were enacted TO safeguard the interests
of the country in the war would auto
matically cease.
"As long as these laws are on the
statute books they must be enforced.
They have been and are being enforced
with as little injury to the welfare of
the country and rights of individuals as
possible. l don't know that l would
even care TO defend any policy that I
have deemed essential to the fullest pros
lection of the national interest. That
would be too much like offering an
apology where one is not needed. I do
not believe that my course calls for an
apology Of any kind.
Democratic Policy Unhurt.
'.The Republican and not the Demo-
cratic policy has been responsible for
any bad effects that have resulted from
the failure of the Republican senate TO
ratify the Versailles treaty and the
covenant of the League of Nations. The
Republican policy of negation has been
persisted in for the sole purpose of ad-
v.ncing Republican chances for winning
the coming presidential election and has
never reflected a sincere desire TO anne
horate the effect of measures adopted
for protecting the country in time OF
war. The Republican policy has been
Continued on Page Two)