The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-24
Peace With Russia.


The strength of the sentiment for
peace with the Bolsheviki is evident
in the dispatches from England telling
not only of the joy in labor and socialist
circles but of the enthusiasm of bust
ness men who have long been waiting,
as have business men Of every country,
for chance to start trading again with.
Russia. Enthusiasm is all well enough,
and 1t would be unkind to recall that
we were all enthusiastic about another
peace only a little more than year
ago.
The British radical press Is indignant
at Mr. Winston Churchill and his sub
ordinates at the war office for telling
the nation last Thursday Of the danger
hanging over India from the recent
Bolshevist victories According to some
Of these papers, the war office gave
out an "undignified" statement, after
which the war minister and heads OF
the army and navy, hoping that they
had reused the nation bv ringing the
alarm bell, rushed off to Paris to head
off the premier's intended move toward
peace. They arrived too late Mr.
Lloyd George had already acted. Amer
lea is out of the supreme council be-
cause of the presidents illness and the
senate's delay in acting upon the treaty:
and though some of our officials at
last seemed to be awakening to the
ing. Mr.. Nitti had to be neutral; while
his own socialists could prevent him
from taking any prominent part in an
aggressive action against Lenine, Italy
could not afford to break away from
her allies. Italy and America both were
in such a position that they, like the
smaller states, had to acqulesce in the
decision of England and France. Mr.
Lloyd George had only to persuade the
French: and Mr.. Clemenceau, drawing
his own conclusion from the result of
the presidential caucus, eventually al
lowed his British colleague to have his
way. So the policy of some 20 nations
is decided by single man-the delega-
ton of admirals, generals and war Of
flee dignitaries having arrived an hour
after the decision was made.-New
York Times Ind Dem.)
The usual method of writing political
platforms is familiar to convention
goers. A subcommittee, confused rather
than aided by proposals hurled at it,
works with feverish haste in some back
room Then long document Is pro-
PEELED into turbulent gathering, whose
energies have been spent on the more
engrossing business of candidate selec-
ton.
So the Tribune thinks 1t worth while
to attempt little predigesting of plat
form planks, 1t asks its readers to
JUN III maturing ueIlIllIe proposals 10
be submitted to the Republican national
convention. 1t hopes to aid in secur-
ing party self determination Especial
ly does this seem now desirable, in
view of the general feeling that lines
of party division have become vague
and the country confronts new condi-
tons
For the best plank submitted the Tri-
bune offers prize of $500. for the next
best $780, and the eight next best 800
each. 1t also offers a daily prize Of
$40 for the best letter relating to the
competition, and 800 for the best let
ter sent in during the discussion.
Participation is invited. Remember,
the platform is to be yours, not ours,
and that you are to determine what
issues are to make up the platform.
Perhaps it will be possible to compile
one brief enough to be printed on
postcard New York Tribune (Rep.)