The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-22

president and Mr. Bryan will not be
closed Whether Mr.. Wilson Is a third
term candidate or not. 1t seems inevita-
BILE that the league OF nations will
figure In the campaign and a split In
the ranks Of the democratic party may
be the result"
The Minneapolis Tribune (Rep)
frankly welcomes Mr.. Wilson's candi-
dacy on the league issue. II would
present alear-cut cleavage as to both
principle and personality" and the Tri-
| bune is certain that there is no com
pelling sentiment in favor of the precise
thing the president demands of the sem
ate" The Rocky Mountain News Und.),
while not convinced that Mr.. Wilson
will seek the nomination. says that III
anybody supposes he win deny himself
the opportunity to take a hand in the
convention, he is more credulous than
we" The News thinks the president
may be relied upon to spare no effort
| necessary to see that the platform of
his party and the man 1t names 10 sue
coed him are committed TO vindication
Of his peace program. To expect any
thing else would be absurd"
But questionably the most interest
ing suggestion comes from the Lexing
! ton Leader (Rep), which foresees
Wilson and a wet platform" 1t points
| out that Wilson has never been ener-
| getically dry" and that while he would
not advocate rejection of the federal
amendment still "he might respond
to the widespread demand for con-
| gresslonal Interpretation of the word
| Intoxicating which would mean per
cent. beer and red wine with a real
kick in it. Such plank in the demo-
cratic platform would be attractive in
states like New York, Ohio. Massach
sets and California, so much so in
fact that there is no telling what might
| happen"
But here again Mr.. Bryan's opposition
would have to be reckoned with, and,
says the Leader, III wet plank is put
into the platform he will either kill 1t
or lead a revolt the dimensions OF which
1t is not easy at this time to predict"
And 1t turned out" adds the Buffalo
| Express (Rep), that after we sent
our patrol boats to those European
submarines off our own coast" The
New York Tribune Rep), however,
calls attention to Daniels telegram to
Sims. saying that "the future position
of the United States must In no way
be jepordized by any disintegration OF
our main fghting feet" and 1t thinks
this boldly indicates that. instead of
cooperating whole heartedly from the
prompt defeat OF a common enemy. we
were to conserve our main fighting
fleet intact for post bellum conditions"
In this" thinks the Tacoma News-Trt-
bune (Ind.) the navy's head seemed
to fear the English navy as much as
lie feared Germany.
However as the Cleveland Plain
Dealer Und Dem.) remarks, we should
demning the one department OF the
government reputed ready for the Ger
man peril in 1917"
Admiral Sims judges the navy by
it's failure to reach a standard which
was In fact unattainable, says the
GpY-fV J,ad "a oaI-
lows too little for the natural and in
evitable slowness and indecision OF dem
ocracy In the first stages OF war. 1t
is In the last stages that democracy is
apt to shine" The Dayton News
(Dem.) reminds us that 1.-The approba-
ton OF the allies followed Americas
naval strvice," and asks why need
Admiral Sims consider out part so in
significant and poorly conceived?' 1t
appears to the Memphis Commercial
Appeal (Dem.) that 1.-THE egotism of the
admiral has run away with any discre-
ton or judgment that he may have
possessed" and that the whole discus
sion has resolved iself into politi-
cal attack upon tho present authori-
ties
AS for what might have happened"
II the Sims advice had been followed
from the beginning, this lis quite be-
yond the mind of man to say" declares
the Milwaukee Journal Und.). Our
naval participation in the war" says
the Arizona Republican Qnd. Prog).
was not vital. The British navy had
proved Itself to be sufficient. There
were no naval operations since some
time before our entrance into the war
that would have given opportunity to
our capital ships. 49,. We probably
could have done no more toward end
ing the war quickly II we had had every
American battleship and cruiser in Eu
ropean waters from the spring of 1917.
Further. the New Orleans states (Dem)
attacks Admiral Sims statement that II
the navy department had taken his ad
vice from the beginning as to conveys
II could have put 100000 men In
France by March. 1918. before the Ger
man drive began. forced Germans sur
render July l. instead OF November II,
and saved 100000 lives and $4,000, 000.-
rn0 treasure"
II we had tried TO DO what Admiral
Sims now says he wanted" says the
State, we would have put in France by
March !. an army Of 100000, the bulk
Of II entirely green and ou1y Mt for
cannon fodder; and II this army had
the British and French when the tre-
mendous German drive began on March
], the chances are that instead OF $780,
600 allied lives being saved. several
times as many Americans as were killed
In the war would have been sacrificed
and the war prolonged year longer
than II was"
The Charleston News and Courier
Dem,) comments on the effort OF "Ad-
miral Sims sympathiZers . 10 get
Mr., Hoover to say that the navy de-
partment did not come in strongly
enough" but very properly and cor
rectly Mr.. Hoover replied that he did
not consider himself competent 10
testify regarding technical naval and
military matters. With respect to the
- dana fDNanfaa hA ga{H 10
supposed everything was done that
could be-"
1T IL q safe assumption. at least"
concludes the Knoxville Sentinel Qnd !
Dem) that the naval authorities did /