Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-08-17
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER

Senator Harding's rather querimon-
ious, hesitant attitude on the League
of Nations, has been met by Governor
Cox exactingly. The governors po-
sition is neither Woodrow Wilson's
nor Henry Cabot Lodges, nor yet Rob-
ert NJ. La Follette's. He does not ap-
pear to entertain quite such avoWedly
idealistic hopes as the president, but
his attitude is not at all dominated Dy
the imperialistic selfish, nationalistic,
narrow viewpoint taken by the Massa-
chusetts Beacon light. Nor is Mr.. Cox
animated at all by the radical plea Oh
Wisconsin's senior senator that world
government is and would be, under
the league, a financial monopoly;
that the league would be a regular
Wall Street prop for bull pups who
have already developed teeth.
The Democratic nominee asserts a
sane, liberal, common plea when he
accepts the Democratic platform. He
demands peace, just as any rational
man does, and he does not think it will
elevate the United States any in the
eyes of the rest of the world to have
it indicate the within ana passion OF
mass" reaction, concluding sepa-
rate peace. Reversal of actions is a
criticism often flung at our democracy
and sometimes not unrighteously. To
have peace, the Ohioan suggests ratifi-
cation of the League of Nations and
treaty with a statement of national in
terpretations. His stand is the DEM
ocratic stand. 1t is fair, square, hon
est, yields nothing of our prestige but
in manifold ways will help the world
to grow broader and better.
I'VE advocate the immediate ratifi-
cation of the treaty without reserva-
ton which would impair its essential
integrity, but do NOT OPPOSE the
acceptance of any reservation, making
clearer or more specific the obliga-
tions of the United States to the Lea
que of Nations, reads the paragraph
in the Democratic National Platform.
1t is common knowledge that "bor-
ing from within" is much easier than
an effort to effect changes from the
outside. The United States will
change whatever methods are bad, un-
wholesome or unfair. AS these are
evident, publicity will be given them
in all countries. The force of public
opinion will compel advisable changes.
Something good is bound to come
out of the league of nations. 1t is
one of the permanent evolutions of
the war. Accept it for the most part
at least, Mr.. Cox seems to say, for
through it and only through it now,
does the world at large indicate a pur-
pose to grow into a better, more con-
genial, cooperative, unselfish group
of Christian nations. The average
man may ask himself sensibly wheth-
er it is better to slide back into
frenzy of war preparation and huge
armament budgets, or whether it is
not more desirable to get onto the
band wagon and to progress gradually
toward the time of complete disarma-
ment, of sincere International Bro
therhood of nations, impossible of
achievement at one leap. Few complete
changes have ever been successfully
achieved in a day; and the League of
Nations will not do all that people
hope from it overnight. Mr.. Cox's ad-
dress shows vision and confidence in
the future. 1t is an optfmist's pro-
gram. The United States should be
filled with similar optimistS.