Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-01
BY \. o. MESSENGER.

pun
tics in the dog days upon an
annoyed public-and yet expect
ing to escape with their lives-the
politicians persist in calling atten-
tion to the controversy between
Candidate Cox and Candidate Hard
ing over their respective positions
on the league of nations. Once in
a while a plain voter. who does not
aspire to being classed as q poll
tician. rises to inquire what is to
become of the great mass of the
people who presumably favor some
kind of league off nations; one
that will provide a concert of ma
tions to prevent needless war and
yet one which will not violate the
popular conception of American
sovereignty? Which party program.
it is asked. appeals to voters of this
kidney?
The voters in this class find
much in the present situation to
confuse them. Senator Harding,
it is argued, charges Opponent Cox
with indorsing the extreme posi-
tion on the league attributed to
President Wilson, while Gov.
Coxs friends pass the word quietly
that it is no such thing and that
their man is for America nizing
reservations"
Senator Hiram Johnson, promi-
nf Iaf Ior rA
ings own party. vehemently in
sists that the republican platform
really and truly is against any
kind of league, whether with
reserva tions or not, although the
republicans with 'weazel words"
as he says. are trying to conceal
that position, as extreme in its way
as the republicans claim President
Wilson's to be in it's particularly.
G. O. r. for "a" League.
And thereupon, another element
of republicans protest against the
Johnson Interpretation of the plat
form and say, why, not at all;
it's as clear as day-we are for
league of nations, of course, but
with proper reservations" And
there you are. These different
versions do not track, the man in
the street is saying. and he is cast
ing about to get his true bearings
in this maze of partisan claim and
disclaimer.
af 70 oh
in both parties are of opinion that
very shortly the league of nations
issue will become more acute in
the. senatorial campaign than in
the presidentiaL-or, at any rate,
more important from their view
point. The way they figure it
is this:
Whoever is elected President.
they argue, will doubtless accept
any treaty the Senate is likely to
ratify by two-thirds vote. That
is to say, neither Gov. Cox nor
Senator Harding is so personally
set" in his contention for any par
ticular model of a league of nations
40 W Put iio ociudAo
against the judgment, of half of
his party and the overwhelming
verdict of the Senate, as President
Wilson did.
Both Must Concede Something.
They say that, for his part, Gov.
Cox if elected would have to take
cognizance of the views of the
democratic senators who are
known to favor reservations; and
that Senator Harding. if elected,
could not afford to yield to the ir-
reconcilables and ignore the reser-
vationists in his party, represent.
ing as they do Such a greater pro-
portion of the republican member
ship of the Senate.
With President in the White
House amenable to the judgment
of the treaty-ratifying body and
having no personal pride of author
ship in the treaty and the cove
nant, but interested in, first, the
patriotic. and. secondly, the human
itarian objects of a league of ma
tions. the burden of responsibility
for a league of nations will shift
from the White House to the Sem