The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1920-10-01
POOLING WOMEN VOTERS.

merely repeat what they are told to say are seeking
to persuade the women voters that the League of
Nations is league for war not for peace 1t has all
the appearance of conspiracy of Misrepresentation.
They insist that women cannot and must not vote for
the candidate who believes in the League because
Article X would surely involve us in war; it would
compel us, against our WILL to send soldiers
to fight in every originating in European quar-
rel they would have to be sent if the Council called
them. Surely women cannot with clear conscience,
vote for candidate who wants to put the United
States into the League thus exposing their husbands
and sons to the imminent danger of being sent out
of the country to be killed
The women voters would make i'll use of their priv
iege if they accepted these teachings as gospel A
voter man woman ought with diligence to try to
understand the issues of the campaign Let them seek
the truth. Let the women voters examine the Cove
nant for themselves, faithfully study it until they
come at it's true meaning. They will discover that
Article X is not the Republicans would have them
believe, the whole League. Let them carefully note
the safeguards of peace that would into effect
before an appeal is made TO Article x They will find
that there many safeguards.
There is the general agreement OF all the members OF
the League to maintain open, Just and honorable re-
latons among themselves, to be guided by the prln
cples of Justice and to respect treaty obligations;
there are provisions for the reduction of ornaments,
for inquiry into every of quarrel to the end
that time may be had for reflection and be avert
ed there are provisions for reference of differences
to arbitration to inquiry by the Council to the Root
Philmore Permanent Court of international Justice.
There is the penalty of expulsion FROM the League for
violation OF any tS covenants; as resort
before invoking the provisions Of Article X there is
the dreadful penalty of international boycott upon
nations making in violation of their pledged faith
under the Covenant.
Mr. Taft has declared that the objections to Ar
ticle will not bear examination" That Article X.
will not involve in war, he says, unless there Is
"a world conspiracy in this war; in which case the
earlier get into the the better" The Repub-
lcan Interpretation of Article X is fagranty false
and their tactics , presenting that article pract
caly the whole ofthe League suppressng all mention
of its safeguards of peace, is culpable conceament
of truth The voters will not use the ballot in
teligently understandingy if they bindly accept
the guidance of these misleading teachers.
Nor should the women let themselves be carried
away by loud outcres against the Administration and
all it's works especially the League of Nations Sen
ator Harding declared on Tuesday last that mo Amer
"fcan can be simultaneously for Article X. and for
the Constitution of our Republic" That suggests
very profitable line of inquiry for women voters. Let
them ascertain for themselves by short course OF
reading the early history of this Republic what was
said about the Constitution when it submitted to
the States for ratification They will learn that the
anF declared it to be as deep and wicked
Conspiracy as ever invented in the darkest ages
against the liberties of free people" They insisted
that the States would be overawed their sovereignty
destroyed just the Republicans now insist that the
League would destroy sovereignty. 1t would es-
absh Prussian militia, it would authorize the issue
of search warrants the laying of excise taxes upon
those who dared to complain of them Did the friends
of the Constitution cite the authority OF Washington
Franklin Its support! Inc reply from lne dHIl-
Federalists was that Washington fool by ma
ture and Franklin fool from age" Pamphlets con-
tanning copies of the Constitution were burnt by mobs
in the public square.
Some of the women voters may observe that IN
certain Republican quarters they are counting the
DAYS until Mr. Wilson goes out of Office. When Wash
ington retired from the Presidency the leading anti
Federaist paper had this to say "The who is the
Source of all the misfortunes of the country
"s no longer possessed of the power to multiply evils
'on the United States" 1t further reoiced that the
name of Washington from this day ceases to give
currency political niquity and to legaze corrup
ton' In his Just indignation at these assaults WASH
ngton declared in letter to Jefferson that the acts
of his Administration had been misrepresented in
such exaggerated and indecent terms as could scarce
"ly be applied to Nero notorious defauter or even
"a common pickpocket."
The fame of Washington and faith in the Constl-
tuition have goriousy survived these venemous at
tacks. The women voter may canddly inquire wheth-
er the pen of history not likely TO the furious
current abuse of the Administration and the League
and give them that place which men with minds free
from partisan passion already forsee they will occupy
would be deporabe and foolish for voters of either
sex to accept at face value all the denuncatons OF the
President and of the Covenant which parsanshp can
invent and zeal in detracton put forth. But above
all the women voters newly come into possession OF
the privilege they so long have sought have duty
thew cannot evade without discredt They must show
the country that the privilege they will exercise was
not unworthily conferred As voters they are moi
obliged to be unthnling partisans to vote Just az
their fathers brothers or husbands vote. They arr
under high moral obligation to vote ntelhgently.-