Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-08-07

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support of the Lodge reservations, OF
of the so-called mild reservations has
been surrendered to expediency.
Senator Harding makes this pledge
of policy in behalf of his party:
| II promise you formal and effective
peace so quickly a republican CON
gress can pass its declaration for d re-
publican executive to sign
This means but one thing-a separate
| peace with Germany.
This would be the most disheartenine
event in civilization since the Russians
made their separate peace with Ger
many, and infinitely more unworthy on
our part than it was on that of the
Russians. They were threatened with
starvation and revolution had swept
their country. Our soldiers fought side
by side with Allies Socomplete was the
coalition of strength and purpose that
! General FOch was given supreme COM
mand, and every soldier in the Allied
| cause. no matter what flag he followed.
| recognized him the chief We fought
the war together. and now before the
| thing is through it is proposed to enter
! into a separate peace with Germany,
| In good faith we pledged our strength n
with our associates for the enforcement
! of terms upon offending powers. and
now it is suggested that this be with
drawn. Suppose Germany, recogniz-
ing the first break in the Allies. pro-
roses something 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, Germany should ac-
cept the chance offered of breaking
the bond it would be for the express
purpose of insurng a German Amer
lean alliance, recognizing that the AL
lies-in fact, no nation in good stand
ing-would have anything to do with
either of us.
This plan would not only be piece
Of bungling diplomacy. but plain. una
dulterated dishonesty. as well.
No less an authority than Senator
Lodge said. before the heat of recent
controversy. that to make peace I-;cepr
in company with the Allies. would
brand us everlastingIy with dishonoI
and bring ruin to u.s.
And then after peace is made with
Germany Senator Harding would. he
says. "hopefuIIy approach the nations
of Europe. and of the earth, proposing
that understanding which makes
Of nations to u new relationship"
In short. America, refusing 90 enter
the League of Nations (now already es
tablished by % nations. and bearing
and deserving the contempt OF the
world. would submit an entirely new
project. This act would either be re-
garded as arrant madness or attempt
ed international bossism.
'Che plain truth is. tb;et the rcpu!,Ii-
e an leaders. obsessed with a dctcrmina
t. On to win the presidential election.
have attempted to, satisfy too many di-
.vergent views. Inconsistencies. ipcv-
liable under the circumstances. rise to
haunt them on every hand. and they
find themselves arrayed in public
thought at least, against great prin-
ciple. More than that. their conduct
is opposed to the idealism upon which
their party prospered in other days.
Illustrating these observations by
concrete facts, let it be Remembered
that those now inveighing against an
interest in affairs outside of America.
criticised President Wilson in un
measured terms for not resenting the
invasion of Belgium in 1914. They
term the League of Nations a military
alliance, which, except for their oppo-
sition. would envelOp our country.
when. as "a matter of truth the subject
of u League of Nations has claimed the
best thought of America for years. and
sthe League to Enforce Peace was pre-
sided over by so distinguished re-
publican as ex-President Taft. who be-
fore audiences in every section advo
Gated the principle and the plan of the
present League. They charge eXpcT-
imentation. when we have as historical
precedent the Monroe Doctrine. which
is the very essence of Article Y of the
Versailles covenant. Skeptics viewed
Monroe's mandate with alarm. predc
ting recurrent wars in defense of Cen
trail and South American state whose
guardians they alleged need not be.
And yet not IL shot has been fired in al
most one hundred years in preserving
sovereign rights on this hemisphere.
They hypocritically claim that the Lea
que of Nations viii result in our boys
being drawn into military service. but
they fail to realize that every high
school youngsters in the land knows
that no treaty can override our Consti-
tuition. which reserves to Congress, and
to Congress alone, the power to declare
war. They preach Americanism with
meaning of their own invention. and
artfiIly appeal to a selfish and provin-
fought a war over "a purely moral ques-
tion of slavery. and that Mckinley
broke the >fetters of our boundary lines
spoke the freedom of Cuba, and car
ried the torch of American idealism to
to the benighted Philippines. They
lose memory of Garfields prophecy
that America. under the blessings of
d-given opportunity. would by her
moral leadership and cooperation be-
come the Messiah among the nations of
the earth.
These are fatcful times. Organic
ed government has a definite duty
all over the world. The house of civ
iiization is to be put in order. The
supreme issue OF the century is before
n d II c n a l - n
that halts and delays is playing with
fire. The finest impulses of humanity.
rising above national lines. merely
seeks to make another horrible war i'm
possible. Under the old order of in
ternational anarchy came over