Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-20
The Men, the Issues, theWinner.

The Men, the Issues, theWinner.
THE Georgia voter will go to the polls
today with a wish first Of all
- to do what is best for his party, his
State and his country He is interested in can
didates primarily for the principles which
they represent and for the means which they
afford of advancing certain important inter-
ests and ideas. He will ask himself according
ly\who of the contestants in the primary is
best qualified, by virtue of ability and under
standing of the urgent issues of the day, to
serve those ends which loyal Democrats and
loyal Americans have so deeply at heart?
Which policies are the more conducive to
the early restoration of an honorable and
well-grounded peace, those advocated by
Senator Hoke Smith or those of Hon. A,
Mitchell Palmer? Which attitude toward
the League covenant is the more consistent
with American ideals, and which is the more
likely to bring actually to pass the estab-
lishment of a peace-conserving company of
nations in which the United States will play
a, free-hearted and effective part-that of
Senator Smith or Of Mr.. Palmer? AS be-
tween these two, moreover, who has a like
lier chance of being nominated at the San
Francisco convention, and, if nominated, the
better chance of being elected-the Georgian
or the Pennsylvania? These are the press
ing questions which the voter is called upon
TO adJudge and which he earnestly wishes to
decide for the good of Democracy and Amer
lea, and to the glory of Georgia and the
South
AS to the treaty and the League covenant.
Senator Smiths attitude has an obvious sd.
vantage over Mr.. Palmers, at least in tho
eyes of those who recognize the need tho
imperative need, OF speedy return to normal
conditions and who entertain practical homes
OF Americas entering peace league "Prac-
tlcal hopes, we say. There are those who
are committed unalterably to one particular
plan of League of Nations; thew will
nave that or none. While condemnine tho
proposed notifications, they submit no COM
ploAnlSe OF thelr own, and choose to leave
our international relations in indefinite or1
dangerous suspense rather than come to tern,
Win those holding different opinion Nov
IL one prefers shadow to substance if ono
considers League of Nations on manor of
more worth to the cause of concord and hu-
manly than League of Nations in practice
then he can consistently support Mr.. PaJmer's
polcy and vote for him in the coming nri-
mary But no believer in the League purnose
and principle, who stands upon real ratber
imam Utop1an ground, do So For it is
an utterly lmpracticable policy which Mr. Pal
, mer represents and on which he is seekinp
the Democratic nomination. No one asserts
no one 1maglnes that the personnel of the
Senate, the majority of whose members insist
upon reservations, can be so changed within
the next eleven months or the next two Years
as to make possible the ratification of the
present treaty without reservations Sun.
pose then 1f such thing be supposabTe)
that we could elect President upon plat
form of mo reservations" what would it ad
vantage us, with the Senate still adamant
against that view? Wherein would we he
nearer peace and normality and international
co-working in 1921 than in the confused and
troublous present. by merely swapping one
deadlock for another.
Grant for arguments sake that the cove
nant which President Wilson brought bacl
from Paris and which Mr.. Palmer insists
should stand virtually unmodified, is perfect
Should we, therefore, reject all other plan
simply because we cannot put this one int
effect? 1t was not in this spirit that th,
American Federation was formed or the grea
Constitution under which we have gone pros
perously forward was adopted. Not in th
spirit has any hope Of mans political better
ment been carried a jot toward fulfllment
Call some of the reservations required by the
Senate multiplying" if you will Is it not bette
to lose certain equipment and cabin furni
ture than to wreck the whole ship by insist
ing that they be kept aboard? The nations
with whom we won the war and who would
be our associates in the League evidently d.
not consider the Senate reservations destruc
tive of the Leagues vitality and serviceable
ness. They have indicated beyond doubt tina
they stand ready to accede to the proposed
changes touching Article Ten and other i'm
portant sections Is it reasonable, then, il
it right, is it fair to America and to humanit,
to hold out unyieldngly for just the plal
which the President wants, when this serve
only to delay the healing processes of peac
and to thWart the workable hopes of an in
ternational league? The Journal can easil.
see how "Bitter-Enders' like Reed and Boral
those whose aim is to ditch the Treaty il
it's entirety-derive satisfaction from tina
uncompromising stand. But we cannot SCI
how one who recognizes any good in tn
League idea and who has sensed even diml,
the peril of prolonging our present unsettled
state, can feel otherwise than hostile towarC
the irreconcilable and utterly fruitless polio.
to which Mr.. Palmer is committed.
Let that policy Of proud willfulness be con
tinued and shall not only lose our hop
of a League of Nations, but in all likelihood