Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-15


pcctcd Of him. President Wilson was
running for rc. election on tho platform
that he had kept US out of war. Yet
the President and every one in his CON
fidcncc knew that he could not keep US
out of war much longer. lie and they
were praying that nothing might happen
to invalidate his peaceful boast until
after the election.
Judge Hughes pussyfoOtcd on the
great issue of national honor and self
respect. Germany had been guilty of
many acts any one Of which would have
justified a declaration of war. The ad-
minstration had been puSillanmous
and had accepted affront after affront
without any show of Indignation. 1t
had contented itself with writing notes.
But Judge Hughes was afraid to meet
the issue and come out squarely on the
proposition that this nation could not
keep out of the war without forfpiting
its own self-respcct and the respect of
the rest of mankind. II he had had the
courage to take this position he would
have lifted the campaign out OF the
doldrumS and would have attracted TO
his support all Of the rcd bloodcd men
in America He might have been de-
featcd on the issue. but he would have
gone down To defeat with his coors fy
ing. Defeat on such an issue would
have brought to him greater glory than
came TO Wilson. who won on the other
issue because no one had the courage
to expose its essential hypocrisy.
That presidency has been won on
such deliberately deceptive issue as
that which Mr.. Wilson and his sup
porters kept before the voters in 1916 is
disgrace to the men and to the PARTY
responsible for hnmboo2inG the public.
1t has been said that Mr.. Hughes was
defeated by the detection Of Johnson in
California. This is only supPrfcially
true. The election was 80 close that
the California electoral vote would have
given it To Hughes. johnson carried the
state for the Senate BY 800 900 while
Hughes lost it by little more than
5000. But If Hughes had not disgusted
the voters in normally Republican
states by pusSyfooting on the great
issue the chances are that he would have
been elected without the California
vote.
Senator Harding is confronted with
an issue which is only little less vital
than that on which Judge Hughes
failed his countrymen in 1915. II is
whether the United States shall play
tho game through to the end and shall
fulfill all Of lis responsibilities in the
family of nations. The managers of the
Chirago convention drafted platform
plank on this issue intended to please
both those little Americans who insist
on shirkng our international ohliga
rions and those greater Americans who
believe in seeing through TO the end tho
task which We undertook when We be-
latedly entered the war.
senator Harding. with the fate Of
Judge Hughes ns a warning, is ox-
peCtrd to turn his back on that vague
pronouncpment and tell the nation OK
actly whore he stands II will not be
enough for him to point to his record
in the Senate, admirable as that record
may be. 4 Senator he was voting
as member Of his party. He aligned
himself with those who favored thr
League Of Nations covenant modified by
the Lodge reservations. Former Prosi
dent Taft and Mr.. Hoover. and other
great Republicans out Of office. have
come to believe that some reservations
must be made in order to command tho
support Of two. thirds of the Senate
But they are for the league and for tho
participation of the United Statos in its
councils. Senator Harding is also for
the league and is opposed 10 the John
son Borah policy Of scuttlc.
When Senator Harding, as a presi
Dental candidate, comes out souarcIy
in support of this experiment in in.
ternati0nal relations he will thrill tho
hearts Of all the broad minded Amrri
cans in the country regardless Of marty
II is important that he should do thi.
anew, for as President he will be in
charge of the foreign relations of tho
United States and our course in those
relations will depend largely on his in
itiative, His will becomes as potent as
the will of the whole Senate, for tho
Senate can do nothing effective in
foreign relations without his consent
And a President with a proper sense NJ
the responsibilities Of his high Office con
bend the Senators of his own party IN
his will.
Tha nafion will ygait xv;th ..,.. -.