The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-08

plotted with bigoted zeal. Win VIC
tory TO our arms they delayed n
INSTRUCTED the works Of peace. II deem
ed useful to the work in hand no
a~rtifice for interfering with our ron
stitutional peace making authority
was rejected. Before the country knew
yea, before these men themselves
knew the details Of the composite
plan, formed at the peace table, the.
declared their opposition to 1t. Be
fore the treaty was submitted tc
the senate in the manner the consti-
tuition provides. they violated every
custom and every consideration OF
decency by presenting Il copy OF the
document, procured unblushingly
from enemy hands, and passed it into
the printed record of senatorial pro
ceedings. From that hour dated the
enterprise of throwing the whole sub
Ject into a technical discussion, In or
der that the public might be con-
fused. The plan has never changed
in It's objective, but the method has.
At the outset there was the careful
insistence that there was no desire
to interfere with the principle evolv.
ed and formalized at Versailles. La.
ter. 1t vas the form m not the
substance that professedly inspired at
tack. But pretense was futile when
proposals later anne forth that clear.
ly emasculated the basic principle
of the whole peace plan. 1t Is not
necessary to recall the details OF the
controversy in the senate. Senator
Lodge finally crystallized his idea,
into what were known as the Lodge
reservations, and when congress ad.
journed these reservations held the
support of the so.called regular
Republican leaders.
Republican Leaders Oppose League
Of Nations
From that time the processes
have been interesting. Political ex.
pediency in it's truest sense dwarfed
every consideration either of the
public interest or OF the mainten.
ance of the honor of a great DO.
litical party. The exclusive ques.
ton was how to avaid a rupture
in the Republican organization.
The country received with interest
to say the least, the announcement
from Chicago. where the national
convention was assembled, that a
platform plank, dealing with the
subject of world peace, had been
drawn, leaving out the Lodge res.
ervations, and yet remaining agree.
able to all interests, meaning there.
by, the Lodge reservationists, the
mild reservationists and the group
of Republican senator's that openly
opposed the league of nations in
any form.
AS the platform made no definite
committal, of policy and was In
fact, so artfully phrased as to make
almost any deduction possible, It
passed through the convention with
practical unanimity. Senator John.
son, however, whose position has
been consistent and whose opposi-
ton to the league in any shape is
well known, withheld his support OF
the conventions choice until the
candidate had stated the meaning
Of the platform, and announced
definitely the policy that would be
his, if elected.
The Republican candidates spok.
en- and his utterance calls forth the
following approval from Senator John.
son:
Yesterday in his speech of ac.
ceptance, Senator Harding unequiy.
ocally took his stand upon tn,
paramount issue In this camsaign
the league of nations. The I,,.
publican party stands committed by
its platform. Its standard bearer
mas % accentuated that platform.
There can be no misunderstanding
his words"
H%arding's Peace Resolution
Senator Harding, as the candidate
OF the party, n Senator johnson are
as n on this question. and. as the
latter expresses il. the republican
party is committed both by platform
In the abstract and by its candidate
in specification. The threatened re.
volt among leaders of the party il
aVerted. but the minority position
as expressed in the senate prevails
as that of the party. In short, prin.
ciple' as avowed in support of the
Lodge reservations, or Of the socalled
mild reservations. has been surrender.
ed to expediency.
Senator Harding makes this new
pledge or policy in behalf of his
party:
Il promise you formal and effect.
I've peace so quickly as a republican
congress a pass its declaration for
a republican executive to sign"
This means but one thing-a separ.
ate peace with Germany!
Separate Peace Disheartening
IA would be the most d~ishearten.
Ing event in civilization since the
russians made their separate peace
with Germany. and infinitely more
unworthy on our part than It was
on that Of the Russians. They We're
threatened with starvation and revo
luton had swept their country. Our
soldiers fought side by side with the
allies. So complete vas the coalition
of strength and purpose that General
roch was given supreme command,
and every soldier in the allied cause,
no matter what flag he followed,
recognized him as his chief. We
fought the war together, and now
before the thing is through II Is pro.
posed ~ enter into a separate peace
with Germany! In good faith we
pledged u strength with our associ.
ates for the enforcement Of terms
upon offending powers, and now IL
Is suggested that this be withdrawn.
suppose Germany, recognizing the
first break in the allies, proposes
something we cannot accept. Does
Senator Harding intend TO send an
army TO Germany to press her to
our terms? Certainly the allied army
could not be expected to render aid.
If on the other hand Carnapy .ho.i.