The Washington herald., 1920-06-29
Cummings Lauds President as Supeman,
Praises Treaty and All Democratic Works,
And Flags Entire G. OP. in Keynote Speech

nations the dominant issue Of the
coming Presidential campaign Ho-
mer Cummings, as temporary chair
man OF the Democratic national con-
vention, today delivered the keynote
speech. Cummings devoted half of
his time to q discussion of the treaty
and its reception by the Senate. He
praised Democratic achievements OF
the past eight years and uttered
ringing denunciation of the Repub-
lican party.
Speaking of the league of nations
plank In the Republican platform.
Cummings said:
1T praises without discrimina-
tion all the Republican Senator's
who participated in the defeat. It's
words of benediction fall alike upon
the irreconcilables, the Lodge res
ervationists, the mild reservation
lists and those who proposed a sep
1t is enough to know that the old
Guard sold the honor of America
for the privilege OF nominating a
reactionary for President"
After naming the nations that
ratified the peace treaty, Cummings
said
What nations stand outside?
Revolutionary Mexico. Bolshevist
Russia. unspeakabIe Turkey and
the United States of America"
Charges Jealous Conspiracy.
He accused the Republicans in the
Senate Of conspiracy to defeat the
treaty because they were moved by
strange and inexplicsble Jealousy
of the President"
Speaking of the sacrifices Presi-
dent Wilson made for the treaty,
he said: Congress was in session
for months while the President lay
In the White House struggling with
terrifying illness and. at times.
close to the point of death.
The President made every sacri-
fee for the cause OF peace" Cum
mings declared. while at home
there was widespread propaganda
making IL imperative that he take
up in his own country a struggle for
the preservation OF that which had
been won at incalculable cost. Fol-
lowing the superhuman Iabors of
seven years of unexampled service.
this meant the wreck OF his health
and worse than physical sickness.
the sickness of heart which comes
from the knowledge that political
adversaries are savageiy destroying
the hope of settled peace.
This was the affliction-this the
lcrucifixion."
Cummings detailed the achieve
mcnts OF the nation during the
world war. He gave all credit to
American patriotism and added:
Lauds Wilson for War victory.
But surely the time has come
when. because OF the calculated
criticism and the premeditated cal
umnies of the opposition we are
entitled to call attention to the fact
that all of these things were
achieved under the leadership of
a great Democrat and the great
Democratic administration.
We have no apologies to make,
not one, he said. I'VE are proud
OF our great navy: we are proud
or our splendid army; we are proud
of the power of our country. and
the manner In which that power
has been Used . and we are
proud of-the inspired and incom.
parable leadership OF Woodrow VII
son. "a
Has not the time come when
Americans. irrespective OF party.
should begin TO praise the achieve
ments OF our country. rather than
criticise them? The American flag
must not be lowered"
Cummings said the Republicsn
platform seeks to shame and he
smirch this shining record of tre-
mendous achievements" He re-
ferred to the various Congressional
committees as smelling commit
tees"
over eighty Investigations have
been made by Congress and over
s2'OOo,OOO wasted" he said. "and the
one result has been to prove that it
was the cleanest war ever fought
in the history OF civilization"
He said that more than 10000, 600
600 passed through the hands of the
Democratic administration, and that
the finger of scorn does not point
TO one single Democratic official in
all America"
This. he said. was a record never
before made by any political party.
Mentions Newberry Case.
Despite all their Investigations,
he said, mot one single Democratic
official has either been accused or
even suspected: and the only dig
nitary in America of any outstand-
ing political significance who is
moving in the direction of the PEN
itentiary is Truman Newberry. of
Michigan.
THE very power Of the Republic
an party to conduct a partisan in
vestigation of the war, to criticise
the President, to control the organ
ization of the Senate and to wreck
the prospects of Yorld peace, rests
upon A bare majority of one. Sc
cured through the tainted Sena-
torial vote from Michigan"
Cummings than referred to-the
recent investigation OF the primary
election campaigns.
The Republican party" he said
became so fixed in Its incorrigible
habit of conducting Investigations
that II finally turned to the fruitful
task of investigating itself. For
the hrst time since they entered
upon this program they discovered
fraud and graft and gross and in
excusable expenditures. The reyel-
ations disclose the fact :, that
the meeting at Chicago was not a
convention but an auction. The
highest bidder. however, did not get
the prize. The publicity that over
took the proceedings frustrated the
initial purpose"
Scores War CompIniners.
Cummings referred to those who
complain at the great money cost
OF the war as '.pitifully champed in
soul"
Regarding preparedness, he said
that in a strict military sense