Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-06
American craftsmanship and American

American craftsmanship and American
honor.
Partisan criticism of minor defects or
individual officials may for time attract
superficial attention but the great facts
the outstanding facts of the last seven
years, plead eloquently for the Democratic
cause
DUE TO GREAT LEADERSHIP.
Only progressive and farseeing leader
ship could have brought America to her
present place of honor and power, and
vet. the very men who have stood in the
way of all these measures of progress,
are the ones who are now critIcisng the
conduct of the war and the activities of the
American President The gentlemen who
are now leading the Republican party,
criticising the President of the United
States, and warning the people against
the League of Nations, are the bad ad-
visers of old. whose counsel led to trouble
and whose advice had to be discarded be-
fore America could make progress is
this too general an assertion? Let me
be little more particular. Was it not
Senator Lodge who proclaimed IN the
Senate that the Federal reserve system
was foredoomed to failure? Was it not
Senator Root who said that the Federal
reserve system would ruin the financial
structure of America? Was it not Sena-
tor Penrosc who took the same position?
Did not all these gentlemen oppose the
passage of the shipping bill, when it was
urged by Secretary McAdoo, two years
before war began? Was it not this same
group Of leaders who were responsible
for the opposition to the income tax the
farm loan system and the agricultural and
labor billsf These are the same bad
advisers, who, hopeful that America has
forgotten their bad advice, are now tender
ing their suggestions as to the future.
PAYING FOR COSTLY BLUNDER.
The American people have paid and
are still paying staggering penalty for
the election of Republican House and
Senatcin November, 1918. Since that time,
all the processes, of government have been
impaired and the work OF reconstruction
has been delayed. The development and
extension Of American business has been
prevented and the peace of the world has
been postponed. Rude and unskilful hands
have been thrust rccklesSly amidst the
intcracing strands of human destiny. |
The opposition has conducted campaign |
of baselcss criticism and SANDER of the |
President. It's leadership has attempted To |
persuade our country into reputation |
of International obligations and an ahan- |
donmcnt OF our Allies, in whose company !
only few months ago, we were fighting |
to save the civilization Of the world Ii |
is not necessary 10 pause 10 discuss the |
details Of the Treaty Of Peace and the |
League of Nations The crucial test of
those who discuss the League Of Nations
consists in the attitude which they dis
close Is the attitude sympathetic and
helpful, or is it partisan and critical?
Is the purpose constructive or destructive?
Is an honest attempt being made to for
ward this grca, project OF is it the purpose
to hamper those who are engaged in the
work so that the whole plan may fall into
confusion and become ineffective?
Senator Lodge set forth a year ago to
make the Treaty of Peace partisan issue.
He has never dcviatcd from that course
While the Peace Conference was in session,
he exerted all his efforts 20 create dissen-
sion between the President and the rep
Of the Allied governments.
Political anmoSity foil owed the President