Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-07
Circulation Every 1A1EA
Evening Yesterday x4lO4
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY Z, 1920.
Senator Lodges Burden.

Day by day the extent Of Senator
Lodges personal responsibility for the
obstruction of the Treaty of Peace with
Germany, and the indefinite prolonga-
tion of 3 technical state of war, is more
clearly and convincingiy revealed to the
American people His handling OF the
latest negotiations for a prompt and
amicsble adjustment of the differences
between the friends and the foes OF the
Treaty and the League of Nations accen-
tuates the already large measure of MIR.
Lodges individual accountability for
disastrous delay.
IL WAS as bitter personal enemy of
President Wilson, rather than as Repub-
lican leader of the Senate, that Mr.. Lodge
began his assaults on the Treaty year
ago. Even before Mr.. Lodge or anyone
else could possibly have known the pro-
visions of the Treaty and the Covenant
he condemned both in advance. In fact,
he reversed his former position as an
advocate of. a League Of Nations Seem
inclv because he preferred to show hos
tiIity to President Wilson than remain
a consistent champion of international
concord When the Treaty and the
Covenant were finally laid before the
Senate Mr.. Lodge showed his deter
mination to treat them not as the product
of Americas participation IN the peace
conference but az the Presidents private
proposals.
Al every turn Senator Lodges aninus
toward the President has inspired and
guided his dealings with the Treaty and
the League. He has encouraged the ''irTec-
oncilable' Republicans to become more
mplacable; he has persuaded some OF
The mild reseryationists to show less
friendliness he has sought by his blandish-
nents 10 win Democratic Senators to the
side OF opposition.
IL would have been bad enough if Mr..
Lodge had adopted these tactics in the
hope Of obtaining advantage for his party
at the expense of his country; but he has
gone further than that. MIR. Lodge has
not hesitated TO jeopardize the interests
of the United States or 10 risk the eoldar-
ity of his own party TO crafty his grudge
against President Wilson. He has I'M
paired his prestige as political leader to
indulge his personal pique and prejudice.
He has made the conflict over the Treaty
something vastly more contemplate than
struggle between political groups
he has made it the occasion for venting
mis- personal spleen and spite.
In this hight, then. Senator Lodge
stands today after the failure Of the
latest attempts TO compromise senatorial
differences with respect to the Treaty.
While pretending TO espouse ratification
with reservations, Mr.. Lodge has fought
all along In the ranks of the defeatists.
He won one set of Republican Senators
to strong reservations and then. appar-
entity, lest even these succeed, he played
the game of the outright reiectionlsts.
One thing Mr.. Lodge has made as
plain as daylight. He has shouldered
load OF responsibility that his party
doubtless soon will be quite willing he
shall carry alone. But tins will not,
cannot be. The party will have TO bear
the burden Of Lodge and his vindictive
incapable leadership. 1t will have TO
shoulder responsibility for the damaging
effect of the do-nothing policy of the
Republican Congress upon the country's
business interests. The burden will
be a staggering one, and will crush the
Republican party IN an overwhelming
defeat