Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-06-10
G. @. TWIXT
DEVIL AND DEEP
SEA ON LEAGUE
Compromise, Although Victory
for Irreconcilables, Pre-
dicted by Bryan.
2 OTHER COURSES OPEN
BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.

When two trains, moving at equal
speed, collide the momentum of the
heavier train will force the lighter one
back but the speed of the lighter train
may be so much greater than the speed
of the heavier train that the speed of
the one Will overcome the weight of the
other
! The 'frreconcilables" represent a
smaller fraction of the party, II the SEN
1 timent Of the republican voters Is ac-
curately reflected by republican senator's,
/ but the fighting spirit of the "irrecon-
| cllables' is very noticeably superior to
/ the enthusiasm of the reseyvationists,
/ which probably accounts for the ad-
vantage which they seem likely to get in
/ the phrasing of the harmonizing plank
! While we walt for definite information
/ as to whether II Is to be fight or foot
/ race. let us consider the political effect
or the three courses open. viz:
Endorsement of ratification with
reservations.
Surrender to the irreconciIables.
! II those who supported Senator Lodge
! In voting for ratification with reserva-
lions are commended, the republican
! party goes into the campaign as the
friend Of a league Of nations.
| The reservations adopted, while in
/ some respects Objectionable to the presi-
dent were not such as to make the allies
unwilling TO accept US on our own terms.
ALLIES WILLING I'd
| ACCEPT SOME CHANGES.
They much prefer ratification with any
reservations that may be desired to post
ponement Of our entrance into the league
They realize the league is practically
! worthless without us.
So long as the United States remains
out. it is merely o renewal Of the al
/ lance between the allies without many IL
the elements Of strength embodied in the
| alliance.
/ They know. too. that the reservations
are almost entirely contingent and do
not Impair the moral strength Of the
covenant
Take for instance. Article X, which
has been the principal bone Of conten-
ton.
Both sides insist that 1t can not deny
to congress the right to declare war or
TO refuse 20 declare war
One side stands for a moral abllga-
tlon that can not he legally enforced -
'hat is. congress must when the time
( Tor action comes. be free 20 act or 10
refuse 20 act whether It's decision car
ries out the moral obligation or repudi-
Dtes II.
The other side wants It distinctly
stated that this obligation in no way
/ inpairs the right Of congress to make
the decision.
The difference between ths two propo.
/ sitions is not vital. and Il would be
I difficult 70 present Il on the stump.
But Article 10. whether II stands as
the president wrote r. or is amended
10 suit Senator Lodge and bis followers
can not be called into operation until
the moral force OF the treaty is ex-
hausted
Tho friends Of the treaty believe that
The machinery which Il creates naksA
war almost impossible
No objection has been raised 10 the
big provisions In the trecty. viz:
Investigation before resort to war-slS
months being SLOWED for the investiga.
tlon and three months for acceptance or
rejection OF the report provision 10,
/ gradual disarmament. aud the abolition
Of secret treaties
/ WHAT INVOLVEMENT
MEANS TO REPUBLICANS.
/ II the republicans indorse the league
with the Lodge reservations. republican
speakers and editors can claim credit FOR
helping to establish the most august
tribunal ever created In the world.
They can point out the possibility Of
a rapid decrease in the cost Of armies
and nsvies; they can promise material
| relief from taxation. and they can pic
| ture the coming Of the day when swords
/ shall be beaten into plowshares..
| The Endorsement Of a record made by
| a political party is the usual course-a
/ fntlure to indorse IS exceptional to the
/ point Of being almost revolutionary.
! A reputation by tho republican CON
vention OF the vote cast by the thirty
/ three senator's who followed Mr. Lodge
would greatly embarrass them before
/ their constituents. while Endorsement
would enable the republicans TO cite the
support given the reservations by TWEEN
/ tythree democratic senator's.
I But suppose the convention takes the
/ side Of the irreconcilables
/ 1t must make its fight for a negative
/ position
| It has nothing to offer as substitute.
To oppose the league as the president
presented It suggests that the republican
/ party has in mind some other kind of
league which II does not outline
The politicians may excuse the party
on the ground that It is easier to destroy
than to build, but that kind Of an argu.
ment does not 20 we'll with the masses.
The ordinary man IS candid and be
quickly detects n lack OF candor
lie inquiries, why not tell US what
you have In mind so that we can make
comparison between the league that
you denounce and the league that you
favored?"
The honest course would be to declare
against a league of nations. with no sug-
gestion Of concealed plan, or to de-
nounce the league as presented by the
president and offer a substitute embody-
ing the views of the republican party
If no effort is to be made to provide
machinery for peace, certain things
necessarily follow.
HOW WAR STAND
WILL WORK OUT.
Ii war must remain the only means OF
settling international disputes we must
appropriate the money necessary for pre-
paredness-
We must enlarge our shpyards on |
both the eastern AMI the western COASTS : |
we must encourage martial spirit and |
enter into rivalry with other countries |
We must count upon the possibility OF |
war with everybody and In order to-
make the people willing 10 pay the taxes |
necessary for such war preparations, we |
must cultivate suspicion and construe as |
unfrendly all that other nations do in |
getting ready to meet our preparedness |
Our nation must adjust itself to one !
theory or the other, and this convention |
cannot avoid the responsibility of de- |
Gliding for which theory the republican |
party will stand-the old theory of wars
engendered by clashing interests and |
fastened by the infaming of prejudices. |
or peaceful methods that will bring |