New-York tribune., 1920-08-18

forced its acceptance; its principle and
its purpose are thoroughly American"
Turning to arn'istice conditions ac-
ocpted by Germany, the Secretary said:
But all these questions were settled
once. We and our allies accepted the
surrender Of the Central powers on
that declaration (the Fourteen Points)
of the President as an express condi-
ton.
Blames Republicans for Delay
THE long delay in ratification Of
the treaty has appeared to break to
tie heart of the world the promise
which America made with ITS lips.
This delay is due to Senator Lodge and
his round robin and his reservations;
it is due to Senator Harding and his
associates who voted with Senator
Lodge for reservations which they have
now repudiated.
But the Democratic party in it's
San Francisco platform has rcstated
Americas cause. Our candidate has,
with simplicity and directness, de-
clared his position on this subject the
league by saying 4 favor going in
IF America is to participate in in
ternational affairs, the beginning must
be made before the cement is set which
binds the rest of the world into
family in which she is not a member
National interest, as we'll as moral
duty, demands that we now decide.
"Our action will throw the determin-
America as we'll as for mankind. The
question is whether America being in
the world shall be of it; whether she
shall cooperate with other civilized
peoples in the maintenance of peace,
or shall draw herself exclusively aside,
allow the rules of the game of life to
be made by others, and by failing to
exert in advance her economic and
moral power be again obliged, at even
more frightful cost, to suspend the
process Of her life and send her sons
Of her word, given in advance, would
have sufhced to prevent
W hen the next war light come de
pends IN large measure upon US and
our action in this campaign" Mr..
Baker said
"lf we make it the business of states
men to avert war and equip them with
! agencies whereby war may be averted,
1T may never come" ne added.
Nations War Record Cited
While Americans spoke of them
selves as peaceful people, Mr.. Baker
SAID, our own history shows that we
have not been able to preserve our own
! peace, much less that of the world, by
the old agencies, which were much
more promising than Senator Harding S
plans of holding up a pious hand and
asking everybody to be good. During
the l45 years since the beginning of
the American Revolution the United
States had been engaged in civil or for
eign wars for about thirty seven years
'If these episodes in our history be
counted as war in which the public
military power was necessary to be ex-
erted, thus bringing into account minor
wars and serious domestic disturb
ances, we find that out of 145 years OF
our national existence only as have
been years of peace and 100 have beer
years of military exertion," he added
"The history of all great civilized pow
ers parallels our own.
"If we do not 60 into the League Of
Nations we must continue to arm," the
War Secretary declared. "If we are tt
play lone hand it must be a stronl
hand. We will be but one competitol
in q universal race for armed suprem
acy; civilization will impoverish itsel
preparing for its own destruction"