The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-22
REED SHAKES OFF
HIS PARTY CHAINS
Makes Remarkable Declare
ton in Kansas City-0pposes
Democratic Nominee.

Special Dsspotch TO THE NEW YORK HxHALp.
KANSAS CRY. Mo-, Oct. 21.-Before
crowd OF moro than 5000 persons,
Convention Hall tonight. Senator
James A. Reed (Mo) made his long
awaited declaration of independence"
Senator Reed virtually bolted the
Democratic ticket and all Senatorial
candidates who are for the League OF
Nations. This includes Breckenridge
Long. the Democratic nominee for the
United States Senate in Missouri.
By announcing his support OF the State
and county Democratic tickets Senator
Reed kept his feet inside the party, and
thus retained a semblance of regular
ity."
1t was by far the most novel political
meeting ever held in Kansas City. The
Senator introduced himself. Only
friends sat on the platform beside him.
There We're no officers such RS usually
attend such gatherings, no band-only
Reed and throng.
The speech was described by friends
to have been Reeds greatest effort.
In it he went further than he ever has
gone in his controversy with the Ad-
ministrauon., denying vehemently the
current report that he broke with
the President over the distribution of
patronage.
Sketching the constitutional functions
of the executive and legislative
branches OF the Government, Senator
Reed drew a. demonstration when he
launched into a Ntriohc attack on one
man rule.
In defending his war record Senator
Reed made 1t plain he was indirectly
answering the attacks made on him by
Gov. Cox's newspapers.
II called this meeting myself" said
the Senator. mo political party, COM
mittee or candidate is in any way re-
sponsible for what 1 have to say to-
night. When the fathers rebelled
against King George there was no
where in the world free people. Ma
tons were governed by autocrats pre-
tending to rule by authority Of God.
The masses of men were industrial and
political slaves. They did not set up
one-man government. AL the blood
Of the Revolution was shed to escape
from that character of rule. The Con-
stitution is intended to prevent a re-
currence to autocracy.
When Missouri sent me 10 the
United States Senate William II. Taft
was President 1 did not take an oath
to support William II. Taft.
When 1 was reelected / did not
swear to support Woodrow Wilson.
1.-The man VINO demands Congress
shall obey the Executive. consciously
or unconsciously, stands for a despot-
ism. and this is none the less true
whether the despotism be saint or sim
ner, benevolent OF cruel. wise or fool
ish, Democrat or Republican.
II would be the subject of contempt
wore l to defend myself against the
charge that / have differed from the
President 1t is my sworn duty to op-
pose any proposition before the Congress
which is wrong. l must determine that
by my own best Judgment and conscience.
II the people of Missouri want an auto
maton In the United States Senate, who
jumps every time the President pulls a
string. they have plenty OF raw material
available.
'In the grave international crisis
which confronted our country every mo-
ncnt from the TIME the European con-
fiagration broke out / felt impelled to
and did make an unusual effort TO sus-
tain our foreign policies as initiated by
the State Department.
Accordingly. when Senator Hitch
cock brought forward n bill to prohibit
the shipment of arms to Europe 1 op.
posed that measure. Other similar at
tempts were made TO block or interfere
with our announced foreign policy, ]
steadfastly opposed those measures.
IT signed the round robin, declaring,
in company with seventy-five other
Senators, that If n vote had not been