Arizona republican., 1920-08-26
Who VIII TeiIeUs First?


 Governor Cox ir the dispatches yesterday morning pror1Ises in his early speeehes discuss fully the League of Nations. We trust that his posi- ion will tneD made clear and thus will have the clarified view presented either in or since the pre- convention campaign. The platform of party tells precisely where it stands The Republican plank was prepared for the qualification of Senator Johnson Senator Borah. The Demo plank small concession to Senator Walsh and to a known large element of the Democratic party which various special elections had indicated that it rot pleased with the Wilson League of Nations
 Since the convention both candidates spoken frequently, and times, F-tth ciearness which seemed commit them But both spoke too often and they succeeded only in clothing their former utterances with vagueness that now we do not where either stands In these circum- unless shall receive something definite than has been given the mandate which the voters will hand down November 2 will be anything have in posses sion.
 Senator Harding tells of peace which he hopes will follow Republican victory and of a new "concert of nations We cannot know what he means. We only know that he voted twice for the Lodge reservations and presume that if the senate should again ratfy the treaty with those vatons. president. he would approve
 Governor Cox informed that he stands League of Nations with such reservations as may
 
 the vital principle of it. There's ndefniteness of it in the words vital principle" Outside the ranks of the "irreconcilables" there nobody who would concede that he is opposed to the vital prin- ciple- Nothing can exist without vital principle successful zttackyupon the vital principle would mean the killing he League Without the vital principle there so for Its existence
 Governor Cox her informs us that the event of Democratic the peace treaty would be ratified in sixty days. Yet MT Taft strong de- fender of the covenant it submitted. in planation why he would support Harding rather than Cox, points out that the election could duce the opposition in the senate below the thirty three members who are sworn against the Wilson covenant. leaving possibility of ratification that form in form widely drrerent from that proposed in the Lodge reservations.
 We might however. suppose that Democratic victory would be interpreted the people ratify the treaty 1t stands that senate would obey the order. But the Wilson coven- ant is not before the people, the Lodge vations; is nothing tangible before them only the indefinite reservations of which Governor Cox talks, which the Virginia convention merely men, toned and which the San Francisco convention copied. No instructions could be given on such vague basis. of a Democratic vic tory the senate would attribute it other causes than the attitude of the people toward League of Nations unless either Governor Cox or Senator Harding speaks more plainly of the stand his party occupies
 Therefore. in it's present form the issue cannot be regarded paramount It be made so only by some definite expression by both the ddates for president. may said that both Coolidge and MT. Roosevelt have been definite but neither bind his party.
 We think the majority of people that this country enter the League of Nations We that in the beginning that great and over ~helming desirs The league then regarded q specific against war We were fresh from war; imagined that in the righteous in which associates had engaged we were all puri- fled; sinister, selfish purposes had been eliminated: nothing our associates and willing to enter the league with regard
 
 Though have since been disiusoned we have clearly that in alliance of nations which the for the purpose enforcing the of treaty for the safeguarding of the smaller nations the older. which had been only buf- the which sprang out of the there would be fewer risks disagreement among the powerful nations. capable of pre- serving world peace Thus would the chances of De minimized.
 that this attitude of the people now feel that the support of a majority of them will be given to the party which the more definitely pledges itself But the nature alliance be definitely set out It is in Senator Harding's of na tions" or in Governor Cox's or three reserva- tions."
 The covenant of the League of Nations is the natural and proper foundation How shall it amended to meet the objections original form and yet serve the purpose which the people pect of any alliance?
 Great Britain In American Politics